What I Thought Money Was (And What It Actually Is)

 by Henrik Bacilieri

For most of my life, I misunderstood money.

I thought money was just... money. Paper in your pocket. Something you work for, use, and eventually run out of. Growing up in Sicily, the conversations around money were usually short and reactive:
"We need to pay the bills."
"There’s not enough this month."
"Maybe next time."

There was no long-term planning, no talk of investments or wealth building—just survival. And so, I grew up thinking that’s all money was ever meant for.

If you had it, you were lucky. If you didn’t, you worked harder. That was the formula I believed in. I never questioned it, because that’s what I saw around me. And in a place where opportunities felt limited, dreaming about financial freedom seemed like something for rich people in other countries—not us.

But all of that started to shift when I moved to Ohio and began learning about finance.

At first, I didn’t even know what finance was. I just thought it meant "banking" or “stocks,” and both sounded way out of my league. But as I started listening to my uncle talk about things like saving, compound interest, and assets, something inside me started to wake up.

I realized that money isn’t just for spending.

Money is a tool.

A tool that—if used properly—can give you time, choices, peace, and freedom. It’s not just about having more of it. It’s about understanding how to control it, multiply it, and position it to serve your goals.

And the biggest shock of all?

Money doesn’t care where you come from. It doesn’t care if you’re from Sicily, if you went to the right school, or if you used to be broke. It responds to discipline, strategy, and patience.

Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m still at the very beginning. I don’t have it all figured out. I’m not wealthy. I’m not financially free. But I’m no longer blind to how money works.

I’m starting to build a new belief system. One where wealth is built over time, not stumbled into. One where every euro or dollar has a purpose.

What I thought money was: something I’d always be chasing.
What I now believe it is: something I can learn to control.

Still learning. Still messing up. Still growing.

Henrik Bacilieri

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