You may not want to admit it, but we can’t live without money. It’s that important. Even though it may be crumpled old paper inside your wallet, it has a great story. As great as it is, the story of money as it relates to its understanding and perceptions is what is important.

Money is very old, it has been with us for a long time and almost every century it changes its appearance and value. The first money in history originated in Mesopotamia, where money was made from seashells and beads. But back then, it was used as a simple way of trading.

Before money, people used trade as the primary means of exchange instead of paper money and coins. Instead, they bartered. Today, jewelry such as gold, copper and silver are used to decorate ourselves but hundreds of years ago it was also used as money. Today, when we go to the store to buy something, we do not exchange physical goods, we use paper and coins.

5 ways money shapes the way we do things:

1. Depending on the country, money has many names. In the United States or Australia it is called dollars. In London we call it pounds and in the Philippines we call it pesos. But most of the time, we just call it dollars.

Forex traders use different currencies to make even more money. They try to profit by speculating and making certain bets on the movements of the market. For other investors and business owners, money is treated as a tool to acquire assets and generate passive income, the key to financial freedom.

2. Money in today’s world also has a different value. For example, one dollar is equivalent to about eight rand in South Africa. So if we win a hundred dollars and fly to South Africa and exchange the dollars for rand, the total will be eight hundred rand.

Nobody dreams of the currency in which he will become a millionaire. They only dream of becoming millionaires! A million dollars, rands or pounds in the bank can be a financial goal worth achieving and many people work very hard to make sure that happens.

But a monthly passive income ultimately defines how you live your day to day. First define your final standard of living in your own currency and then determine how much passive income you need each month to achieve the lifestyle you would like. Finally, be sure to put a plan in place to make it all happen.

3. Money has different meanings. If you value the history of money, it is seen as a means to buy things or a reason to live. They seek to extract the pleasures of life, buy cars like Ferraris or VIP tickets for Katy Perry or Maroon 5 concerts and maintain a good standard of living.

For others, money is treated as a reward for doing great things, starting businesses, and serving humanity with innovative products and services. What group do you fall into? Is your goal to make money or generate income doing what you like?

4. Money has two faces. The good side is that we can send our children to the best schools, start charities, make donations and help other people. We can save lives by building fancy hospitals, hiring the best surgeons, and starting global initiatives like the World Food Program. Using money for these things makes us feel good, can excite and motivate us to do great things with money.

The bad side of money having two faces is not money, but love for it. You know the saying, ‘money corrupts’. It can ‘tempt’ people to do bad things and sometimes lead people to commit criminal acts. Apparently money is one of the main reasons for divorce in countries like the US and South Africa (don’t quote me on this). Money can destroy relationships, create jealousy, and push people into clinical depression.

How will you handle both sides of money?

5. Money is difficult to understand, or so it is thought. People often stray from the subject of finances and leave it to accountants and bankers to worry about what, unfortunately, is when it is such an integral part of one’s life. It’s one of those gray boxes that you keep in the garage, never to be opened again or relegated to the desk of some supposed financial expert.

Don’t underestimate your abilities. Understanding finance and the world of wealth creation can open up a great opportunity for you. By ignoring it, your life can be filled with mediocrity. Money is a tool that improves the quality of life. See it for what it is.

Money shapes our perceptions, has value, and is a powerful tool of influence. It can be used for good and for bad. It can change your life and make it perfect. It can also keep you stuck if you get into the wrong mindset.

The topic of money requires you to have a plan, so make one! Money requires one! You can stick to what previous generations have done, work and earn, or rewrite the history books, live and earn.