While conducting a strategic review with a new client recently, we got to the topic of the purpose of their business, and the answer I got was ‘to make money’. This is an answer I often get. In privately owned businesses, the purpose of the business often reflects the purpose of the owner, as do the values. When pressed on this, one of the partners was adamant that it was all about money. No passion, no enthusiasm for what they did, just the money.

So once you’ve made all the money you could possibly need, then what is it about?

At this point I often give the dramatic example of 9/11 – and the destruction of the Twin Towers, to make a point.

When faced with imminent mortality—whether in the Twin Towers, on a deathbed, or in a life-threatening moment—people rarely think about money, status, or possessions. Instead, they focus on what truly matters:

1. Connection & Love

• People in the Twin Towers made final calls to loved ones, not their accountants or business partners.
• At the end, we seek comfort in relationships, not wealth.

➡ What this tells us: Humans ultimately crave deep, meaningful connections—family, friends, and love.

2. Meaning & Purpose

• Many survivors or terminally ill people reflect on whether their life had meaning.
• People regret not pursuing passions, not spending more time working.

➡ What this tells us: We want to know our life mattered, that we left an impact, however small.

3. Peace & Acceptance

• People in near-death situations often experience regret—but also a deep need for forgiveness and reconciliation.
• Those who make peace with their choices and relationships often face death with more calmness.

➡ What this tells us: We seek inner peace, closure, and to be at ease with how we lived.

4. Experience & Presence

• People don’t reminisce about their bank balance but about moments—travel, laughter, first love, sunsets, simple joys.
• A common regret is, “I wish I had lived in the moment more.”

➡ What this tells us: We value rich experiences over material success.

5. Legacy & Contribution

• In their final moments, people want to be remembered positively—as kind, loving, and impactful.
• Parents think about their children, leaders think about their influence, and artists think about their work.

➡ What this tells us: We want to leave behind something meaningful, even if it’s just memories in the hearts of others.

So, What Do Humans Ultimately Want?

At our core, we want to love, be loved, and know that our life had meaning—not through money, but through relationships, experiences, and impact.

When all is said and done, we don’t ask, “How much did I make?” We ask:

• “Did I love enough?”
• “Did I live fully?”
• “Did I matter?”

That’s the real currency of life.