New Wealth Connections

wealth n.

Everybody’s definition of wealth is different – mine included.  For some it’s about becoming a millionaire. For others, a million is not enough but for a few it’s more than the dictionary’s definition above. It’s about a life balance.  You do not necessarily need a million pounds to consider yourself wealthy and, here, I hope to impress upon you why.

I spoke with a friend who told me about a man that he had met at a seminar that said that he found making money very easy and his net worth was then just short of £300 million.  My friend was puzzled at first since the seminar was about achieving success and since his own net worth was about £30,000 and sought to increase his income, he considered this man to be successful.  It turned out that the millionaire worked long hours, had been divorced twice and could not sustain a lasting relationship – he felt unhappy and that his life was unfulfilled.  For this man, more money would not solve anything.

Part of the seminar had people list what they were grateful for and the thought struck my friend that he was pretty happy with how his life was – great friends, decent house, loving family etc.

As the seminar progressed, there was an exercise that had people write out all their goals in life – what really mattered to them.  During the assessment, My friend looked at his list which included travel and activities that needed more time than money and suddenly realised that he did not need to be a millionaire,  he just needed a regular income and the ability to free up his time…  and £2000 – £3000 per month would do it easily.  He didn’t crave expensive cars and houses, he wanted to travel and see more of his friends and family and generally spend his time how he wanted: he was just unsatisfied in his job.

Interesting, two people with different situations, at the same seminar, looking for a similar result.  So what’s the commonality?  If there is one it is that money or “abundance of material goods”, by itself, is not the route to fulfilment or happiness.

In my view, my friend was already wealthier than the millionaire as he now knew what was missing from his life’s equation and all he needed to do was to start a business in something he loved doing.

The Millionaire had a different issue.  He loved his work but it left no space for him to create an environment to include anybody else in his life, or even time or space to satisfy his feelings of emptiness and misery left by his failed relationships… his issues were deeper inside himself than the case of my friend.

So consider this new definition of wealth.  It may not be true for you, but it’s true for me.

wealth n.

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Filed under: General Tags: by admin Date 11 December, 2009