Our Philosophy
Every person on this planet has been given at least one superpower to help them accomplish their unique mission in life. BUT… the only way to unlock those superpowers is through work ethic. Only then does greatness happen. And that’s where Moneypants comes in. Moneypants is the complete toolset for cultivating work ethic, talent development, and financial literacy.
A Unique Mission?
You are you, and there is nobody else like you. You have a specific and unique mission to accomplish. It is not the same as anyone else’s.
In this great big world, as a parent, as a son or daughter, and as a member of a family team, the big question looms: what were you put on this planet to do? What is your mission?
“Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it.”
~ Buddha
But I Don't Have Superpowers
Yes, you do. Everyone has at least one superpower. It’s innate. It’s part of you. It’s who you are. And everyone is different.
Some superpowers are obvious. Maybe you are a supremely fast runner. Or unbelievably good at math. Or have a photographic memory. Or you are really, really funny.
Other superpowers are less obvious but no less amazing: great kindness, intuition, patience, or listening skills. Maybe you are incredible at design, computers, working with animals, or teaching young kids.
The list goes on and on.
“Hard work without talent is a shame, but talent without hard work is a tragedy.”
~ Robert Half
Work Ethic? Seriously?
The only way to unlock your superpowers is through work ethic.
Yes, seriously. In fact, work ethic may be the single most important skill you can obtain. Think about it. Anything of value comes from hard work. Actually, EVERYTHING of value comes from hard work:
- Relationships
- Schooling
- Career
- Talents
- Personal progress
- Service
None of those things come easily. They only come from good, old-fashioned hard work. Consistent effort. Time. Energy. Yep, it is all related.
“Nothing in life that’s worth anything is easy.”
~ Barack Obama
You Can't Teach Work Ethic!
Either You Have It Or You Don't
We couldn’t disagree more. You are not born with work ethic. It has to be developed.
Work ethic can not only be taught, but it can be learned. And not only can it be learned, it SHOULD be learned. Every person on the planet should learn how to work and do the mundane, tedious tasks that ultimately lead to success. It is never too late to start, but the best time to learn how to do that is when you are young.
“I never viewed myself as particularly talented. Where I excel is ridiculous, sickening, work ethic. You know, while the other guy’s sleeping, I’m working.”
~ Will Smith
Okay, Maybe Work Ethic Is Good,
But Is It Really That Critical To Success?
Ask any successful person, and they will tell you they had to work tirelessly to get to where they are today. Sports legends are known for their incredible work ethic (Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan). Famous inventors (Thomas Edison). Influential businessmen (Warren Buffet) and world leaders (Donald Trump and Barak Obama). The list goes on and on.
A wise man once said, “The privilege to work is a gift, the power to work is a blessing, [and] the love of work is success.”
If you want to be successful in any endeavor, work ethic is the key. And if you want the ultimate advantage for your family members, give them the ultimate gift: work ethic.
“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”
~ Stephen King
So How Do You Learn Work Ethic?
Work ethic is not just working hard. It is doing the difficult things even when things are difficult. It applies not just to physical work, but also emotional, mental, spiritual, social, and artistic work.
We learn work ethic by being consistent and doing the hard things even when it is not convenient. Even when we are tired. Even when we don’t feel like it. The key is to have proper rewards in place that motivate when times get tough. Only then will we have the motivation to keep going and develop that integrity of work ethic.
“Opportunity is missed by most because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
~ Thomas Edison
What Is Greatness?
Greatness is when you are aligned with your specific mission in life. It’s not doing better than the other guy. It’s all about you. It’s not a competition with others. It’s a competition with yourself. You have to become the best you you can be.
And it all starts with work ethic. Work ethic is the key. It’s what starts the whole thing. And that is what Moneypants is all about!
“Every professional was once an amateur.”
~ Nike
How Does Moneypants Teach Work Ethic?
Moneypants uses some of the family’s discretionary money and turns it into rewards for family members to earn. Instead of giving kids things, parents give their children opportunities to earn those things. And how do they earn them?
By helping out around the house. By completing daily and weekly assignments.
But it’s not just about the chores. It’s also about healthy habits and developing balance in all aspects of life: physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, socially, and artistically. All of these take work. Every family member has daily and weekly habits to better themselves. Consistently. The more consistent the behavior, the bigger the rewards.
“Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.”
~ Robert Collier
A Quick Example
Let’s say you have a daughter named Sally. She is 12 years old. She loves soccer. It used to be—before Moneypants—that you would pay for soccer and everything that goes with it. There are lots of great benefits to soccer. Sally wants to play, and you want her to play. Why not pay for it?
But now with Moneypants, instead of you paying the $150 for soccer, you are going to give that opportunity to Sally. She will be able to earn that money herself.
And how does she earn it? By completing her daily and weekly chores (doing dishes and washing the cars). But she also earns it by developing good habits like practicing piano, being kind to her siblings, brushing her teeth, writing in her journal, getting her homework done by 5:pm, and more.
With major rewards for consistency, and with soccer on the line, Sally has all the motivation she needs to learn to work hard. She quickly develops work ethic.
Then, instead of you paying for her soccer registration and cleats and soccer ball and jersey, Sally now pays for those items herself with the money she has earned. The best part? It won’t cost you any more money than you were already spending. Remember, you were already going to spend $150 on soccer. The difference is now Sally has earned it and has become a better person in the process. Sweet!
You have totally leveraged your money to give little Sally a major boost. She has learned work ethic, good habits, financial skills, and consistency of effort. Do you think that will help on her soccer team? In her schoolwork? Her relationships? Her life?
“Leadership is getting someone to do what they don’t want to do, in order to achieve what they want to achieve.”
~ Tom Landry
Step 1: Income
The first step to setting up Moneypants is simple. You siphon off a portion of your family’s income and turn it into rewards. This is your family’s discretionary income. It is money you were already spending anyway. Now, instead of giving your kids things, you are going to give them opportunities. Earning opportunities.
“God sells us all things at the price of labor.”
~ Leonardo da Vinci
Step 2: Family Members
Next, you are going to make a list of every member of the household who will be unlocking and developing their superpowers. This should include everyone who lives in the home: mothers, fathers, kids, teens, grandparents—everyone who lives in the same home who can and should contribute.
“Hard work compounds like interest, and the earlier you do it, the more time you have for the benefits to pay off.”
~ Sam Altman
Step 3: Jobs
Create a list of all the jobs that need to be done on a daily and weekly basis. These are going to be your family’s earning opportunities and how everyone will develop consistent effort. Developing work ethic begins at home.
Be sure to include the yard, the pool, the animals, and all the rooms of the house. Don’t leave anything out. Make it all inclusive.
“I learned the value of hard work by working hard.”
~ Margaret Mead
Step 4: Habits
Every family member gets 10 habits because work ethic is not limited to physical work. It also includes emotional, mental, spiritual, social, and artistic work. And the habits are designed to help ensure you and your family members develop balance in all aspects of your lives.
In short, it’s time to become your best self.
“Look in the mirror – that’s your competition.”
~ Unknown
Step 5: Spending Plans
Put your money to work for you. Create a plan for every penny you are going to earn. Things like soccer or golf, jewelry, or electronics. Summer camps or clothes.
Your spending plan is where you create rewards for yourself. These rewards will help you stay motivated as you work to develop your superpowers.
The best part? It won’t be a burden on the family budget because it was money the family was going to spend anyway. Moneypants won’t cost you a dime. It’s making the most out of what you have.
“I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday.”
~ Unknown
Alternatives
If you are looking for a simple allowance program, there are plenty to choose from. If you are looking for a goalsetting app, there are plenty of those, too. And if you are looking for a budgeting routine to teach your kids money management, there are plenty of those as well.
But if you are looking for a system that will truly give your child the ultimate advantage in life, then try Moneypants.
Intrigued?
The Moneypants app is simply a tool to help you implement the Moneypants ideas. Of course, you don’t have to buy the app in order to develop work ethic.
But the Moneypants Superpower Hour podcast, on the other hand, is an absolute must. It is amazing and smart and funny—and filled with tons of real-world examples of how to use all the tools in the Moneypants toolbox. No theories here. Just plain old common sense and practical application.
The Superpower Hour is nothing short of everything you need to know to help every member of your family develop their superpowers and at the same time avoid the costly kryptonite that could hinder their progress.
The best part?
It is 100% FREE. Anyone and everyone can listen. Tap HERE to listen to the podcast. Because you totally should.