In this episode of The Ordered Life Podcast, we explore what it means to set purpose-oriented financial goals and why a life aimed at meaning will always outperform a life aimed at accumulation.

Drawing from philosophy, Catholic wisdom, and real financial experience, we contrast the temptation to measure life by net worth with the deeper call to seek the good. As Anthony puts it, “When it comes to setting goals for money, they should be linked to our purpose as opposed to just being for the sake of accumulation.”

Sean pushes the conversation further, reminding listeners that purpose-driven money starts with the right questions: “Purpose-driven goals… come back to the question of ‘What is this for?’ and ‘What’s important for me in how I live my life?’”

AJ grounds the message in a challenge that sits at the heart of this episode—and the heart of an ordered life: “You were not created for comfort; you were created for greatness.”

From here, we explore:

Why wealth is instrumental, not ultimate

How pleasure, happiness, and joy differ, and why that matters

The dangers of equating identity with income

Why meaning requires actualization, not endless potential

How the virtues, especially prudence, magnanimity, and humility, shape healthier financial decisions

Why “more money” is not a purpose, but a tool

How great goals stretch us, form us, and call us to become more

They share frameworks rooted in Aquinas, Augustine, John Paul II, and Stoic insight, unpacking how an ordered life demands both clarity of purpose and the courage to pursue it. Whether you’re setting long-term goals, reevaluating your relationship with money, or simply looking to live with greater intention, this episode offers a hopeful, practical, and deeply human perspective.

Money is a tool. Purpose is a compass. Virtue is the path.