This post is really a response to Hannah Katy’s latest post about how to keep dreams alive without involving lots of zeros and dollar signs.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that I grew up with money. For as long as I remember, there’s been no shortage of toys or food or entertainment, etc etc. However, I am aware that my family has not always been so fortunate, and my parents made many sacrifices and had many hardships early on in their marriage, as my father was trying to finish school and an MBA.

My father did not come into his money over night. It was earned through many years of hard work and even harder decisions. As a result, I was given every opportunity. I went to good schools, I went to educational summer programs, I was supported in my school work and given help whenever I needed it. This, then, resulted in a successful academic career. Sprinkled in there were a few jobs of my own, both with my father’s companies and with others as well.

I worked hard in these jobs, and I got my paycheck. This allowed me to get the things I wanted. Did I enjoy going to work? Not really. Who does? I mean, would you rather go to work or spend the day playing video games or whatever makes you happy? Of course not. That’s not to say, of course, that going to work was always a bad thing. Just, there are always more fun things to do.

In any event, I finished college in December of 2008. In case you weren’t aware, the economic world we had spent so long reveling in began to unravel, and property values, stock values, and jobs began evaporating. Faster, I bet, than most people could have expected (but I’m not economic expert). So, even though I dreamed of graduate school, I chose not to go. Instead, my fiancee and I got married. We settled into a little rent house, and I began a job search.

The goal wasn’t money. Not really. It was just a necessity of the world and culture we live in. The goal was to ride out the storm, and at the end, be in a position where the dream could be realized. We still aren’t there yet, but in my neck of the woods, the job market isn’t there yet either.

In the mean time, we have been able to purchase a home, take in a second dog, and live comfortably. I’m working in an industry I never expected to be in, and it’s certainly a far-cry away from English academics, where my heart and soul lie. But, it’s a means to an end. It allows me to stay out of debt, build up some meager savings, and prepare for a return to the dream that I’ve been chasing.

Money, then, isn’t some enemy. It’s a tool. And like any tool, it’s only effective if used correctly. Use the tool, don’t let the tool use you. Keep it all in perspective of your dreams and goals, and pursue money as a means to those ends. You may have to make a sacrifice or two along the way, but in the long run, as long as you refuse to be controlled by your money, your dreams are almost always attainable.