By Scott Highmark

President and Principal of Mosaic Wealth


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Wealth can help you fund your purpose, but it can’t help you find it.

On a recent trip along Interstate 70 between St. Louis and Denver, I found myself reflecting on how travel reminds me of what truly matters. The endless fields, the inevitable gas station stops, and the mountains rising in the distance — a road trip mirrors life’s bigger journey.

Think about it: the highway is the path, and the mountains are the destination. The gas station, while essential, is never the goal; it’s just a way to keep moving forward.

The same can be said of wealth. Wealth is a tool, a means to fuel our journey, but it’s never the destination. Just as a gas station doesn’t define the trip, wealth should never be confused with purpose.

The Purpose-Finding Myth

Many people treat money as the ultimate goal. They chase it, believing that once they’ve accumulated enough, they’ll finally have everything they need to be fulfilled. This perspective is understandable — money provides security, freedom, and access to experiences. However, the myth lies in thinking that once you have enough money, purpose will naturally follow.

Purpose doesn’t come with a bank balance. It runs deeper. It’s tied to who you are, what drives you, and how you want to impact the world.

If you spend your life chasing wealth without ever stopping to ask why, you might reach the summit of financial success only to find that the view isn’t what you expected. The key is knowing where you’re headed and why, and the money serves as the fuel for your journey.

So How Do You Shift from Seeing Wealth as the End Goal to Using It as a Tool for Something Greater?

  1. Clarify your purpose: Reflect on your values and priorities. Ask yourself what matters most. Is it your family, giving back to your community, building a legacy, or something else entirely?
  2. Align your calendar and checkbook: Look at where you spend your time and money—these reveal what you truly value. Do they reflect the values and priorities you want to uphold?
  3. Talk to others: Learn from those who’ve transitioned from being focused on accumulating wealth to living with purpose. Their experiences can offer valuable insights.
  4. Start small: You don’t need to overhaul your entire life overnight. Experiment with passions or causes that align with your values and see what resonates.

Accumulating wealth isn’t the same as achieving fulfillment through a life filled with significance. Wealth offers the opportunity to pursue your purpose, but it can never replace it.

How Wealth Can Enable Purpose

At Mosaic Wealth, we help clients manage and grow their wealth, but it’s not about money for money’s sake. It’s about unlocking significance by providing clarity and purpose for wealth. Many of our clients seek to leave a lasting legacy, support meaningful causes, or create opportunities for the next generation. The wealth they’ve built allows them to do these things, but only because they’ve aligned their finances with a clear sense of purpose.

We don’t define that purpose for our clients, but we help them discover it through a thought-provoking process that clarifies their values. What is your passion? What causes inspire you? What matters most to you? These questions drive their journey, and wealth becomes the tool to bring their purpose and dreams to life.

Reaching the Summit

Winding through Colorado’s mountain passes on that day, surrounded by natural beauty, I was reminded that life’s journey isn’t just about reaching the next milestone. It’s about knowing why you’re on the road in the first place.

Accumulating wealth without a deeper sense of purpose is like taking a trip without a map –sure, you’ll cover ground, but to what end? Purpose provides direction for everything you acquire along the way. When you begin to see wealth as a tool to fuel your purpose, rather than an end in itself, you unlock a life filled with intention, meaning, and fulfillment.

So, take a moment to reflect on your own journey: Where are you truly headed? And what will you do once you reach the summit?

As the President of Mosaic Wealth, Scott Highmark, CFP®, leads the strategic direction of the firm to ensure that the firm is adequately positioned to anticipate and serve the needs of our clients. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, Scott also works closely with our clients to define a long-term vision of success in their financial lives and beyond. He brings more than two decades of experience to the firm, with additional tenures as Executive Director at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management and Vice President–Wealth Management at A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. He is proud to have created a team of like-minded, like-hearted, talented people to help execute his dream of building Mosaic Wealth.

Scott decided to enter this field because he values the ability to positively impact a family’s life through the platform of wealth management. He loves connecting with clients, inspiring them to see a brighter future, and leading them down the path of true Significance.