A Billionaire’s Investment Strategy 💰

Recently, I was listening to an interview with a billionaire who was talking about the difference between investments and expenses, not just financially, but philosophically.

He shared that, in his experience, the way someone views money often reveals the way they view life. At one point, he mentioned a concern he has for his own kids, who are in their mid-20s to mid-30s. His concern wasn’t whether they would be successful. It was whether they could actually discern the difference between an expense and an investment, not just with money, but in all areas of their lives.

Midway through the conversation, he paused and said something that stuck with me:

Coming from someone who has watched markets rise and fall, businesses succeed and fail, and wealth come and go, that statement carried weight. The more I sat with it, the more I realized how closely it aligns with the wisdom of Scripture.

I want to offer this as encouragement to you, especially if you’re early in your career and learning to steward money, time, responsibility, and relationships.

One of the clearest markers of maturity is the shift from being reactive to being proactive. If I'm being honest, I did not start to see my career and life through a proactive lense until I was in my late 20s, but once that began, it changed everything. Here is the difference: 

Reactive responds to the moment.
Proactive responds to direction.

Children spend what they have left.
Adults decide in advance what their money is for.

When money is left unexamined, it quietly shapes us. When money is used intentionally, it becomes a tool for formation.

What’s the difference?

At a practical level, the difference between an expense and an investment is fairly simple.

An expense consumes resources and ends there.
An investment costs something now, but increases future capacity.

Here are a few examples to help clarify the difference:

Paying for convenience that saves time you do not reinvest is usually an expense.
Paying for training that sharpens your skill set is usually an investment.

Buying status without growth is an expense.
Buying tools, experiences, or relationships that shape who you are becoming is an investment.

Eating out to avoid discipline is often an expense.
Eating out to build relationships or deepen connection can be an investment.

Upgrading your lifestyle without taking on more responsibility is usually an expense.
Upgrading your capabilities, so you can serve and lead more faithfully is an investment.

The difference is not always what you spend money on, but why you spend it.

Proactive adults invest in themselves in ways that expand capacity, not comfort.

This often looks like paying for learning that sharpens skills and wisdom, investing in health and rhythms that sustain long-term leadership, seeking coaching or counsel before a crisis forces it, and choosing growth that stretches you rather than simply upgrading your lifestyle.

These investments often feel expensive in the moment. But over time, they compound quietly. Many people eventually realize that the return on these investments is not measured in a checking or savings account, but in becoming who they need to be to accomplish what they are pursuing.

You are not being indulgent when you invest in becoming more faithful, capable, and grounded. You are being responsible.

The second investment the billionaire mentioned, and the one Scripture emphasizes relentlessly, is investing in others.

Reactive generosity waits for need to appear.
Proactive generosity looks for people to build.

This can look like supporting people whose growth you believe in, creating margin so generosity does not require hesitation, and giving in ways that strengthen dignity rather than dependency.

The early church did not give out of their leftovers. They gave out of conviction. Proactive adults decide in advance that their money will serve love, not just self-preservation.

At the heart of this is a simple but profound question:

Will I use people to accumulate wealth, or will I use wealth to multiply the gifts I see in others?

If someone was watching your life, how would they answer that question for you?

One of the most countercultural investments you can make is margin.

Margin is financial, emotional, and spiritual breathing room. It allows you to say yes when God invites you into something unexpected. Without margin, even good opportunities begin to feel like burdens.

Living below your means is not about restriction. It is about freedom.

Here are a few questions I’d encourage you to sit with and return to often:

• Am I using money to react to my life, or to shape my life?

• Where did I receive my view of money, and is it serving me well?

• How would those closest to me describe the way I steward what I’ve been given?

• Are there opportunities to invest in my professional or personal development, regardless of cost?

• How do I personally define an expense versus an investment when it comes to my time, talents, treasures, and relationships?

Proactive investments move money from being a source of anxiety to a tool of formation. They help you live awake, intentional, and prepared.

That is what it looks like to grow into adulthood, not just in age, but in wisdom.

As always, let us know how we can help you navigate your world as you navigate the world.

We are In Your Corner.

See you next Tuesday!