Sam Polk, a former Wall Street trader, later founder of two social enterprises, in his book For the Love of Money, has talked about his journey from childhood to Wall Street and his entrepreneurship. The point of the whole book is that there will never be ‘enough’. Our insatiable needs will never be satisfied. As a human, if you are not careful enough, you will find yourself in a never-ending run to chase more materialistic things. 

Will money and other material things give you the satisfaction you are looking for? Well, the answer depends on many things. While reading this book, I wanted to find out the answer and the answer lies in, according to the author, how you look into things you want. Has it (gaining wealth) become an addiction? Are you trying to fill a void in your life by acquiring more and more wealth? The author tried to imply that earn money because it opens up many opportunities, but don’t let it control your life. Do something meaningful besides earning money like caring for your family, engaging yourself in a meaningful relationship, and so forth.

Let’s discuss the book in a detailed manner. We will first talk about the story-line of the books which may contain spoilers. You can skip this section and jump to the others. At the end of this discussion, I will write 11 lessons I learned from this book that may help you.

Story

Sam Polk started this book with his childhood memories. He grew up in Los Angeles. You will find reading about his relationship with his father, who was like a dictator of the family. You will find Sam spending time with his twin brother, sometimes they are fighting. Sam’s mother was a practice nurse who took care of the family but never got what she deserved.

Both brothers went to the same high school and were bullied by the others. One thing I love about this book is how honest the writer is. He casually described embarrassing things, hidden truths, and more. The writer was a wrestler in high school.

Then the two brothers parted ways. Sam Polk went to the Columbia University of New York and their twin brother Ben went to Cornell University. Both were meritorious as you can see, but they were different in many things. And an unfortunate incident made them distant.

Sam started drinking wine, which affected his university life in negative ways. He got into a relationship and went through ups and downs. He wrote how he was always chasing perfection so that I would make him feel good. Did it make him feel good? You will find out the answer if you read the book.

One day, Sam went to a counselor, Linda, with his then partner. He didn’t like her at first but talking to her helped him in some ways, and then, in the end, he was grateful to the counselor for who he had become. Sam stopped drinking liquor.

Sam Polk penned about how he entered the world’s leading financial hub, Wall Street where they play with money. The writer was fortunate enough to make his way to the Bank of America, and then Pateras, a leading hedge fund company on Wall Street. He found a mentor while working in Bank of America, his boss Marshall Masters. Marshall trusted him in ways that made Sam confident and filled a void in his life, a lack of a fatherly figure who he will respect and will be respected back. Marshall influenced his life in so many ways.

Soon, in Bank of America, Sam Polk made a reputation as an investment trader, trading metals and such kinds of goods. But then he wanted to become a CDS (credit default swap) trader as he saw an opportunity there. Then he was transferred to the CDS desk of the Bank of America in New York. In his last days at Bank of America, the market was volatile and he was at risk of being fired, as well as Marshall. At the same time, he was offered a position at Pateras, which was a lifetime opportunity and made him a great fortune.

Sam joined Pateras, a hedge fund on Wall Street, and started trading as a hedge fund manager. He was earning but he was also becoming conscious about life. He was questioning himself whether this is the life he wants. This never-ending hunger for money, not having enough time for himself, can’t even concentrate on his relationship – these things were frustrating him. He started thinking about leaving Wall Street. He realized this addition for money will never stop. Despite earning millions of bucks, he wanted more. Although he was able to do almost anything and was a definition of success, It was stealing his happiness.

At that time, he reconnected with a woman in his life and he instantly thought she was the kind of woman he wants to spend the rest of his life. Then the writer left Wall Street and then, visited Europe, then India. It made him so happy.

He built two social enterprises, Groceryships, a not-for-profit organization that works with mothers to help them understand nutrition, and Everytable, a for-profit company that is making healthy food affordable to all.

How it felt

Reading this book, personally, I became interested in finance. As an Economics student, I am attracted to this complex world of money and how it works. It was a pleasant read because it is a well-written memoir. From a not-so-great childhood (which is actually pretty normal for most people) to the roads of Wall Street and then founding two great social enterprises- this book covers it all and I am really impressed. As a memoir, it has all the elements ranging from emotions, family, love, life experiences, and so on.

I am really impressed with the writing style of the writer. It was an easy read. He talked about complex finance terms so that these can be understood by general people and he did a great job in doing so.

Because of the extreme honesty, it didn’t feel like the writer was boasting at all. He admitted all the things we do but never admit. Reading the book, I became emotional sometimes. The story is an inspiration to make the world a safer place for my family, friends, and all the other people. It reminds me of the responsibility I have.

Lessons I learned

Many valuable lessons were learned from this book. Sam Polk makes us realize some subtle truths about life. We cannot escape the reality that earning money is essential, but we can have a meaningful life by not losing in the world of addiction. 11 lessons I learned from this book have been given below:

1. Childhood trauma can affect your life and you should address it as soon as you realize it.
2. Don’t try to fill a void in your life by chasing more material things, rather try to build a meaningful life consisting of love, emotions, and such things.
3. Leave the people who make you feel bad. You do not owe anything to them, even if they are your close relatives or friends.
4. Seek help when you need it. Talk to family, friends, mentors,s or to whomever you feel safe with.
5. Don’t stay in a relationship just for the sake of having somebody in your life it makes you feel good. Stay in a relationship if you truly love your partner and care for her/him.
6. Don’t easily give up on yourself. You are capable of doing anything you want. All it needs is hard work and consistent efforts.
7. If you find somebody (not necessarily your partner, can be anybody like your boss or others) who truly cares for you, and respects you, make time for them. Do not lose them.
8. Becoming sober can affect your life in healthy ways.
9. Care for your family. Credit where credit is due.
10. Always speak up for yourself. If you think you are being undervalued, speak up. Let them know you deserve better.
11. You will find happiness in yourself, not in other things or people.
    

Do I recommend it?

I definitely recommend this book to anybody who is interested in finance, Wall Street, and becoming a smarter version of oneself. I also want to recommend this book to people who are trying to find meaning in life. This book might help you realize something that no other books could.

Conclusion

The journey with For the Love of Money was a great experience as it has described some hidden realities about life in a convincing way. Sam Polk’s life realizations can help us become a better humans and may make this world a better place filled with pure love.