Saturday, April 6, 2019

A short parable: The Monk and the Minister


Two close boyhood friends grow up and go their separate ways. One becomes a humble monk, the other a rich and powerful minister to the king.

Years later they meet. As they catch up, the portly minister (in his fine robes) takes pity on the thin and shabby monk. Seeking to help, he says:

“You know, if you could learn to cater to the king, you wouldn’t have to live on rice and beans.”

To which the monk replies:

“If you could learn to live on rice and beans, you wouldn’t have to cater to the king.”

Most all of us fall somewhere between the two. As for me, it is better to be closer to the monk.

Credit goes to JL Collins and the Simple Path to Wealth for this one.


The path may look different for everyone. Reaching financial independence is all about choices. You can grow your passive income to match your lifestyle or you can change your lifestyle to match your passive income. In the end, it usually ends up being a balance between the two.