Entrepreneur, becoming your own boss, building wealth, books on the subject will advise you to ask yourself why. Why do I want to be my own boss? Why do I want to be rich? These books demanding you to question why, can make you feel money hungry and confused, because when posed with the question all you want to think is “why not?”. You have bills, debt, and plans for your future you've been putting off due to financial circumstances, because let’s face it you wouldn't be so interested with books about making money if money wasn't an issue, or the plan. Some of these “philosophical” books will go on to say that if it's just about making money then you will never be satisfied, playing on the old saying “Money can’t buy you happiness”. What a bunch of malarkey! I challenge them to think of virtually anything that makes anybody happy, throughout their entire life, that doesn’t require money to obtain and/or sustain. So when these books ask people, usually people who’ve never had a substantial amount of money in their life, “why do you want to be rich”, it’s like the author is asking that individual to ponder whether or not they are worthy of happiness!
Regurgitating Tired Old Clichés Until I Want to Throw Up
The author’s intentions mean well, but this age old question can create confusion. I think if this was the Family Feud and one hundred people were asked “Why would you want to be rich?”, I think “to be happy” would score high, just behind “why not?” which is a better question to ponder, if you feel like wasting your time pondering at all. What’s funny is all this “why? Thinking” has nothing to do with helping you reach your financial goals any quicker, because now you are distracted with notions of feeling greedy for even wanting to be rich in the first place. People need answers, and need more than tired coaching philosophy or prepackaged ideologies and clichés that mostly work for a select few. You are in search of a plan that can be customized to meet the requirements of the goals needed to be met in order for you to reach your desired lifestyle. I find the ideology featured in many of these “get rich” books are tired and out of touch with the masses of today. My argument to support this theory is based on the context in which the authors use the word “rich”. I think the word rich does not mean what most may assume.
A Thorough Brainwashing
What does it mean to live rich? Keep this question in mind as I go on. When I thought about this, for the first time, I imagined myself looking at my bank account. I tried to visualize seven figures looking back at me! I fantasized about that concept until it felt like one of those dreams that feel so real and so great, that you try your best not to wake once you realize that’s all it is. Then one night, while I was in a guilty “why do I want to be rich” mind state, I thought what if money wasn’t an object? What does it mean to live rich? This time, I was imagining all the luxuries money could buy if it were no object. In other words, I was thinking about everything I could buy if I had no fear of objection from my bank account. I slapped myself in the face realizing my mind was becoming a counter-productive gremlin towards my actual pursuit of happiness. I became aware that my mind was so busy fantasizing about life’s luxuries to think of anything practical that would have actually improved my immediate current state of living. This is evident in so many people across America, and those in other countries, who are easily influenced by what they see from mainstream media, and how the media defines the term rich. They question investing money in assets, but will impulsively throw their money into the accumulation of liabilities.
Pursuing the Sweet Life
A great epiphany followed once I started pretending that money was just a figment of my imagination, and acted like money itself had no value in my life except to aide me in reaching my lifestyle goals. I realized that the word rich, to me, does not mean what it is traditionally defined as in the dictionary. I believe the word rich is a self-fulfilling word that can only be defined by the individual using it. Take the movie Forrest Gump. Yes I am going to reference the box-o-chocolate scene, but I am not selling any clichés here today! So imagine life really is like a box of chocolates, you know, one of those boxes of assorted chocolates. Imagine each one of those chocolates represent a single individual’s life. Each is different from the next, but they are all rich in their own respect, rich with chocolaty goodness! This way of thinking should help you put “becoming rich” into perspective, as it pertains to your individual life and what you find valuable. Each chocolate can be considered rich, because each is filled with what can be valued and desired. So in order to become rich, and start living the sweet life, you must first begin to fill your life with value. What does it mean to you to live rich? Does it mean having a clean bill of health? Does it mean furthering your education? Does it mean creating a legacy to pass along to your loved ones? How many people would you be willing to help along the way? These are all questions to help you find out what is important to you in your life. Once you have evaluated your life and redefined the word rich, based on your values, then you will be able to successfully begin a mission to prosper towards with meaningful goals to lead you, instead of a dollar amount.
The Method of an Enriched Mind
When you have goals fueled by a meaningful mission, that’s based upon your personal values, it makes the meaning of living rich appear a lot clearer than if it had been based on a monetary value alone. Guard your values, because it is what you have to offer society. Your values are what give you and your business character, and will set your business apart from others, even if the others are competing in the same market. Using the box of chocolate analogy in retrospect, this is how most of the chocolates may appear to look the same from the outside, but it’s what’s inside that’s valued, creates the richness that is sought after by many, and leads one to sweet success.
Thinking “why not?” helps you recognize what you don’t have, whether it be lack of knowledge, skills, experience, resources, physical attributes, etc., and identify what is needed to achieve the goal you desire. If your efforts stop here then you are considered a pessimist. If you’re an optimist than you would take the next step by incorporating “how?” thinking to aide you in setting milestones that will act as steps you need to take in order for your goal to be reached. Beware of your heightened optimism turning you into an opportunist though, who likes to skip steps at any chance to get ahead quicker than planned, as this could lead to a misstep that results in you tumbling all the way back to the bottom! I can attest.
The author’s intentions mean well, but this age old question can create confusion. I think if this was the Family Feud and one hundred people were asked “Why would you want to be rich?”, I think “to be happy” would score high, just behind “why not?” which is a better question to ponder, if you feel like wasting your time pondering at all. What’s funny is all this “why? Thinking” has nothing to do with helping you reach your financial goals any quicker, because now you are distracted with notions of feeling greedy for even wanting to be rich in the first place. People need answers, and need more than tired coaching philosophy or prepackaged ideologies and clichés that mostly work for a select few. You are in search of a plan that can be customized to meet the requirements of the goals needed to be met in order for you to reach your desired lifestyle. I find the ideology featured in many of these “get rich” books are tired and out of touch with the masses of today. My argument to support this theory is based on the context in which the authors use the word “rich”. I think the word rich does not mean what most may assume.
A Thorough Brainwashing
What does it mean to live rich? Keep this question in mind as I go on. When I thought about this, for the first time, I imagined myself looking at my bank account. I tried to visualize seven figures looking back at me! I fantasized about that concept until it felt like one of those dreams that feel so real and so great, that you try your best not to wake once you realize that’s all it is. Then one night, while I was in a guilty “why do I want to be rich” mind state, I thought what if money wasn’t an object? What does it mean to live rich? This time, I was imagining all the luxuries money could buy if it were no object. In other words, I was thinking about everything I could buy if I had no fear of objection from my bank account. I slapped myself in the face realizing my mind was becoming a counter-productive gremlin towards my actual pursuit of happiness. I became aware that my mind was so busy fantasizing about life’s luxuries to think of anything practical that would have actually improved my immediate current state of living. This is evident in so many people across America, and those in other countries, who are easily influenced by what they see from mainstream media, and how the media defines the term rich. They question investing money in assets, but will impulsively throw their money into the accumulation of liabilities.
Pursuing the Sweet Life
A great epiphany followed once I started pretending that money was just a figment of my imagination, and acted like money itself had no value in my life except to aide me in reaching my lifestyle goals. I realized that the word rich, to me, does not mean what it is traditionally defined as in the dictionary. I believe the word rich is a self-fulfilling word that can only be defined by the individual using it. Take the movie Forrest Gump. Yes I am going to reference the box-o-chocolate scene, but I am not selling any clichés here today! So imagine life really is like a box of chocolates, you know, one of those boxes of assorted chocolates. Imagine each one of those chocolates represent a single individual’s life. Each is different from the next, but they are all rich in their own respect, rich with chocolaty goodness! This way of thinking should help you put “becoming rich” into perspective, as it pertains to your individual life and what you find valuable. Each chocolate can be considered rich, because each is filled with what can be valued and desired. So in order to become rich, and start living the sweet life, you must first begin to fill your life with value. What does it mean to you to live rich? Does it mean having a clean bill of health? Does it mean furthering your education? Does it mean creating a legacy to pass along to your loved ones? How many people would you be willing to help along the way? These are all questions to help you find out what is important to you in your life. Once you have evaluated your life and redefined the word rich, based on your values, then you will be able to successfully begin a mission to prosper towards with meaningful goals to lead you, instead of a dollar amount.
The Method of an Enriched Mind
When you have goals fueled by a meaningful mission, that’s based upon your personal values, it makes the meaning of living rich appear a lot clearer than if it had been based on a monetary value alone. Guard your values, because it is what you have to offer society. Your values are what give you and your business character, and will set your business apart from others, even if the others are competing in the same market. Using the box of chocolate analogy in retrospect, this is how most of the chocolates may appear to look the same from the outside, but it’s what’s inside that’s valued, creates the richness that is sought after by many, and leads one to sweet success.
Thinking “why not?” helps you recognize what you don’t have, whether it be lack of knowledge, skills, experience, resources, physical attributes, etc., and identify what is needed to achieve the goal you desire. If your efforts stop here then you are considered a pessimist. If you’re an optimist than you would take the next step by incorporating “how?” thinking to aide you in setting milestones that will act as steps you need to take in order for your goal to be reached. Beware of your heightened optimism turning you into an opportunist though, who likes to skip steps at any chance to get ahead quicker than planned, as this could lead to a misstep that results in you tumbling all the way back to the bottom! I can attest.
