What's Most Important to You?

At a recent town hall, an executive spoke about purpose. Not strategy. Not productivity. Just… purpose. The kind of question that's easy to ignore when you're busy — but impossible to unhear once it's been asked.

Later that week, my grand-manager casually turned to me and asked, "So what is most important to you?"

I paused. Smiled. Changed the subject. But that question followed me home.

I usually don't spend much time on these things. I've always felt like the answer shifts depending on where you are in life. What matters at 20 might not matter at 30. What feels urgent one year might feel laughable the next.

But maybe that's the point.

So here it is — a snapshot of my thinking, as I am, right now.

Let me walk through it slowly.

Fame

There's a kind of fame that I think more people should build.

Not the viral, influencer kind.

But the kind that sticks — in your community, in your industry, in your circle.

The kind where people say your name in rooms you're not in. The kind that makes you a person, not just a position.

At work, it means being trusted. Respected. Known for your craft. Outside work, it means being someone people think of when they need help, inspiration, guidance, or just someone solid to talk to.

I think fame matters. Not in a vain way, but in a legacy way.

Because companies — no matter how great — will never love you back the way your community will. You can give them your all and still be replaceable by Monday. But your personal brand? Your name? That follows you. That's yours. And you owe it to yourself to protect and grow it — beyond the confines of one job, one role, one org.

Fame isn't everything. But if you're building a reputation that holds even when your title doesn't — that's something to be proud of.

Money

Let's be honest.

Money matters. Anyone who tells you otherwise probably has enough of it.

Money doesn't solve everything. But it solves a lot of things. It keeps the lights on. Buys you time. Pays for therapy. Fixes your car. Lets you sleep at night knowing you're not one emergency away from chaos.

I've heard people say, "Money doesn't bring happiness."

But I've also seen what the lack of money does to people. The stress. The compromises. The way it erodes confidence, joy, and even love.

Money gives you options. That's what I really want. The ability to say yes or no without fear. The power to choose what's right for you, not just what's affordable.

People romanticize struggle until they've lived through it.

I've lived through it.

So yes — money matters. It doesn't define you, but it sure can free you.

Enjoying What You Do

I used to think I had to love my job every single day or I was doing something wrong.

Now I think differently.

You don't have to love every part of your job. But you should love parts of your life. Sometimes the joy doesn't come from what you do from 9 to 5 — but what you're able to do because of it.

Enjoying what you do doesn't always mean being obsessed with your career. It might mean finding flow in side projects. Or feeling useful on your team. Or being part of something that matters, even if the day-to-day gets repetitive.

Sometimes "enjoying what you do" is code for "feeling like yourself while doing it."

That's what I want more of — work that lets me show up as me. Not a version of me that's constantly overperforming just to prove she belongs.

Work-Life Balance

Let me be clear:

Work-life balance is not negotiable.

Anyone who tells you "if you want to climb, you need to be on 24/7" is either lying or burning out in real time.

Balance isn't laziness. It's how you last.

The world will always find new ways to demand more of you — more output, more hours, more sacrifice. If you don't draw the line, someone else will draw it for you.

And when you break? They'll move on. The meetings will go on without you. The company will not pause to rebuild you.

So take your weekends. Close your laptop. Say no when your brain is asking for rest.

Balance doesn't mean you're less ambitious. It just means you want to live long enough to enjoy what you've built.

So… What's Most Important to Me?

It's tempting to say "all of it."

Because in some ways, that's true.

I want to build a name that lasts. I want to find meaning in my work. I want to rest without guilt and grow without burning out.

But if I have to choose — right now — I choose money.

Because for me, money means freedom.

Freedom to say no. Freedom to walk away. Freedom to help my family, take care of my health, and build something of my own without begging for permission.

Maybe someday, the answer will change.

But today, this is where I am.

And I'm okay with that.