The Big Reason One Personal Finance Expert Wants You To Stop Measuring Profit In Dollars

Don't let dollar signs dance in your eyes. Yes, there actually is such a thing as making too much money. At first glance, that statement might make you do a double take — especially if you have bills you're struggling to pay, are weighing which state has the most affordable assisted living costs, or trying to find ways for your small business to deal with Trump's tariffs. Business owners and contributors to household savings accounts and budgets may both think the only way to truly succeed financially is through chasing profits — but one personal finance expert begs to differ.

David Delisle is a financial literacy educator, author, and entrepreneur. He is also the founder of "The Awesome Stuff" approach to money mindfulness. The Awesome Stuff approach stresses joy over shame when it comes to financial planning, and attempts to stop the cycle of what Delisle calls "endlessly chasing more."

While Delisle has published a graphic novel about financial literacy for children, called "The Golden Quest: Your Journey to a Rich Life," Delisle thinks his philosophy is just as applicable to grown-ups and business leaders. Instead of measuring profit in dollars, Delisle hopes for a perspective shift that prioritizes positive lived experiences and quality of life-improving measures over traditional measures of wealth. He tells Money Digest in an exclusive interview: "I don't see this approach as opposing capitalism — it's more about evolving how we think about success within it."

In his book, talks, and TV appearances, David Delisle urges kids and the adults raising them to prioritize personally valuable goals rather than the desperate pursuit of what could be considered mindless markers of wealth. Instead of millionaire status, private yachts, or the more easily-attained overspent nights out or status symbol buys, Delisle urges kids of all ages to only buy "the awesome stuff."

Much like the money-saving 24-hour rule, Delisle encourages followers of his financial philosophy to wait seven days before making a purchase, to be sure the item is something truly awesome and worthy of investment, to avoid bad personal finance advice and the impulsive, compulsive need to chase "more." Delisle wants to empower savers and spenders to focus on what success means to them, rather than society at large — and thinks this could apply to the business space as well as personal finance.

"We've been taught that profit is only about dollars, but imagine if we broadened that definition to include social impact, sustainability, and community well-being," Delisle says. "Companies thrive when they innovate, and this is just another form of innovation." Social good, rather than pure financial profit for its own sake, might be the most awesome stuff of all — but Delisle knows accepting this might be a paradigm shift across an awesome bridge too far.

David Delisle is a self-proclaimed finance nerd, and was semi-retired at 40, in an era when many of us scour for creative ways to save money on groceries. However, rather than pushing a greedy agenda to get rich quick or at the expense of others, Delisle encourages giving as a way to grow wealth of all varieties: financial, as well as for personal and greater good. This major tenet of his financial philosophy might make him seem a great fit for encouraging healthy, helpful money habits with young people — but may also inspire a cynical scoff from greedy (or struggling) grown-ups.

"I do feel like I'm tilting at windmills sometimes," Delisle says. "Social media amplifies the pressure to chase more—more stuff, more status, more of everything. But that's why the Awesome Stuff Movement is so important. By helping people, especially kids, understand what truly matters, we can start rewriting the rules. After all, I believe in capitalism and free trade, but we're currently playing a game we can't win—where no amount of money is ever enough. Let's change the game to one where happiness and fulfillment are the ultimate goal."

Companies can adhere to Delisle's well-intentioned advice by committing to corporate giving, philanthropic efforts, and investing in their own staff beyond the bare minimum required for a healthy bottom line. Financial heads of household may find it a little harder not to measure health with what counts for wealth these days, but keeping a cool head about keeping up with the Joneses, and investing in actually valuable family experiences and expenditures instead, might be a very awesome start.