Hey Tim: Talking about investing feels slimy and gross. Is there a better way to talk about it?

You’re not wrong. For a lot of people, talking about investing feels uncomfortable. It can sound like you’re endorsing the worst parts of capitalism, cheering on inequality, or obsessing over money for money’s sake. If that’s how it feels to you, I think you’re paying attention.

Language matters. Stories matter. The way we talk about things shapes how we experience them.

A small example from my own life: instead of saying “kill two birds with one stone,” I’ve started saying “feed two birds with one scone.” Same idea, very different feeling. One frames the world as something to conquer. The other frames it as something to care for.

Investing deserves that same reframing.

I don’t love the language of “financial independence” or “financial freedom”. When I was a kid, I remember the advertising campaign for “Freedom 55”. It suggested that we should work our butts off in a job we hate, only to finally achieve this early retirement so that our passionate life can finally start. This story feels hollow and disconnected from purpose. Retire early… to do what, exactly?

What resonates much more with me is the idea of financial fulfillment, a concept I explored in a recent conversation with Jessica Moorhouse. Financial fulfillment isn’t about escaping life. It’s about building enough stability that you can actually live it. More time with friends and family. More capacity to care. More energy for community, creativity, and activism. Less time stuck on the economic treadmill just trying to keep up.

That’s why I like to talk about investing as growing a garden.

You don’t start a garden to dominate nature. You start one to nourish yourself and others.

First, you clear the soil. That means clearing your mind of the misconceptions and stories about money that are getting in the way. Then you pick your tools. Chequing and savings accounts, and an online brokerage. Stock your pantry with an emergency fund. When life happens, you’ve got financial space to breathe. Now you’re ready to start gardening.

Most people don’t garden alone, and investing shouldn’t be lonely either. Joining the Good Investing Classroom is like joining a community garden; learn from others, ask questions, and avoid mistakes together.

Next, plant your first seeds as you make your initial investments. A small amount is fine, the important thing is that you’ve started. Eventually, your garden starts producing fruit. And when it does, you can replant those seeds. Expand to new plots. Maybe hire help, or even bring in a full-time gardener if life gets busy.

At some point, you might plant your first native species. Your first impact investment. Something that supports the ecosystem you care about, not just your own backyard. Perhaps you look at community bonds?

Seen this way, investing isn’t slimy. It’s stewardship. It’s care over time. It’s building something that can support you and the world around you.

If you want help growing your own financial garden, request a free consultation. The best time to start was decades ago. The second-best time is today.

Tim Nash is the owner of GoodInvesting.com. This column is not financial advice. Future of Good and Tim Nash suggest speaking to a professional before making investment decisions. Have a question? Talk to Tim.

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