DON'T PUT ALL YOUR VALUES IN ONE BASKET
- Derek Hagen
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
❝The tippy top of our value hierarchy becomes the lens through which we interpret all other values.❞ -Mark Manson
A concentrated portfolio might make you rich... or ruin you. A concentrated value system works the same way.
WHEN A CORE VALUE BECOMES THE ONLY VALUE
We all know the saying, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” It’s good advice for investing, but it applies to life, too.
Some people see everything through a single lens. For one person, it might be money. Every decision—career, relationships, even hobbies—gets measured by its financial impact.
For someone else, it’s family. Every choice revolves around togetherness and caretaking. Work, friends, and even rest exist only to serve that one purpose.
If you're interested in values-based financial planning, here's how to work with a Money Quotient-trained financial life planner.
There’s nothing wrong with caring deeply about what matters most. The challenge is concentration risk, when one value becomes the filter for everything.
When that single value gets shaken—when money runs short, or the kids move out, or the job disappears—life can suddenly feel empty.
HOW VALUE SYSTEMS WORK
Psychologists have long studied how our values shape meaning. One framework comes from logotherapy expert Elisabeth Lukas, who described two ways of organizing our values.
The first is the pyramidal system, where one value sits at the top and directs everything else.
That top value becomes the lens for life. Author Mark Manson calls it your God-value—the thing you unconsciously worship.
The second is the parallel system, where several values hold equal importance.
In a parallel system, meaning comes from multiple sources: family, friendships, creativity, purpose, health, or community. Losing one doesn’t erase your sense of purpose entirely.
 |
The Value Compass is designed to help you gain insight into your own values and how they guide your thoughts, feelings, and actions. It can be used to explore your personal goals and motivations, as well as to gain a better understanding of others' values and how they may differ from your own. |
 |
|
WHEN THE PYRAMID COLLAPSES
A single-value life can look stable until it’s not.
As Lukas wrote:
“If the chief value in a pyramidal value system topples, the whole life concept is in shambles.”
If money is your main source of meaning, what happens when that source changes?
If your identity revolves around family, what happens when your role within it shifts?
If work defines your worth, what happens when that work ends?
A concentrated value system makes life fragile.
BUILDING A MORE BALANCED LIFE
Diversification isn’t just for portfolios; it’s for meaning.
A parallel value system gives your life stability when things change.
If family is your anchor, you might add balance through learning, health, or friendship.
If work gives you purpose, explore creative or spiritual outlets that express who you are beyond your job title.
When one area falters, the others can carry the weight. That’s what resilience looks like.
MEANING IS THE ULTIMATE DIVERSIFICATION STRATEGY
A rich life isn’t about maximizing one thing. It’s about meaning spread across many things.
When you have multiple sources of values, you can adapt when life changes. You don’t lose yourself when circumstances shift.
Because diversification isn’t just a financial principle.
It’s a human one.
You get one life; live intentionally.
If you know someone else who would benefit from reading this, please share it with them. Spread the word, if you think there's a word to spread.
To share via text, social media, or email, simply copy and paste the following link:
REFERENCES AND INFLUENCES
Fabry, Joseph: The Pursuit of Meaning
Fischer, John Martin: Death, Immortality, and Meaning in Life
Frankl, Viktor: Man’s Search for Meaning
Frankl, Viktor: The Will to Meaning
Frankl, Viktor: Yes to Life, In Spite of Everything
Lukas, Elisabeth & Bianca Hirsch: Meaningful Living
Manson, Mark: Everything is Fucked
Manson, Mark: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck
PositivePsychology.com: Meaning and Valued Living Masterclass
