What Does Wealth Means To You?

What Does Wealth Means To You?

“US$300,000,000.”

That was the value of one of the businesses that I founded.

It was not a figment of my imagination but the conclusion of one of the top financial institutions in the world.

That 9-figure sum of money had popped out of a written report by a group of professionals.

Based on this figure, a global bank would underwrite our company’s market capitalization as it endeavored to take our company public on NASDAQ.

We were advised that it would be just a start.

With the credibility of a listed vehicle and a sizable war chest, we were in a great position to improve the bottom line and grow the company.

I was within possible range of becoming a BILLIONAIRE!

Imagine with me, I could have big houses, big cars, a big wife…and all the luxuries of the modern world.

At that point, I was beginning to experience a taste of the high life, running pre-listing road shows in New York and Boston and hopnobbing with the rich and famous.

Swiss bankers were calling upon us and we were wined and dined in some of the top restaurants in the world.

They said that success is relative. The more successes you have, the more relatives you will get.

So, before you start calling me to borrow money, please note that it would not be possible.

In fact, you may find me pleading with you to extend a cheap loan to me.

The Initial Public Offer did not materialize.

The economic crisis caused a cascade of negative effects on our industry.

As a result, our business was severely hit.

If you ask me, was I excited about potentially having a lot of money? The answer would be No.

Was I sad that I missed the opportunity? The answer would also be No.

My lifestyle did not and would not change.

I have always maintained that the person who live a simple life will live a rich life.

Please don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against money.

A wise person once said, “Money cannot guarantee happiness. However, without money, I guarantee you will be unhappy.

“Money may not buy you happiness but it certainly can make life more comfortable and buy you the misery you prefer.”

Another wisecrack, “If you cannot buy happiness, it’s probably because you don’t know where to “shop” for it.”

Money means nothing unless you do something useful with it. It is a medium to exchange for something of value.

Money may not be the most important thing in life. On the other hand, with money, we can do many important things in life.

Socrates once said, “If a man is proud of his wealth, he should not be praised until it is known how he employs it.”

Sadly, many people do not know how to make meaningful use of money.

If we don’t know what to do with money, we can’t be truly rich.

If we don’t know what to contribute to in our life, we will never be totally motivated to create lasting wealth.

Do not be like the person who spent the best years of his life to make money and then spent all his money trying to recover the lost years in your life.

The person who craves for too little wealth is as pitiful as the person who is obsessed about possessing too much wealth.

The question that begs to be answered is, “What do I want to do with wealth?”

According to my friend, Robert Kiyosaki, “Wealth is the number of days you can survive forward if you stop working tomorrow.”

To me, wealth is more than just about staying alive. It’s about having a life.

It’s not just about living a good life but also about being able to devote your life to a worthwhile cause.

I’m sure you have heard of the poor man with lots of money – the same guy who had money but nothing of lasting value.

The root word of ‘wealth‘ is an archaic English word, ‘wela’ which means well-being and ‘th’ refers to ‘condition’.

Wealth in essence refers to the condition of well-being from our Creator. It’s a state of the body, soul and spirit.

Wealth is not just about financial but also physical, emotional, social, spiritual and environmental well-being. It also includes having the positive values and resources to help to make the world a better home.

Being wealthy is to be in a position to have the requisite resources to fulfill worthwhile dreams and help our loved ones and others live a meaningful, exciting and fulfilling life in a healthy environment.

The blueprint to creating great wealth includes having a heart of gold and a sound character, and living an exemplary lifestyle.

It’s also about having the wisdom to fulfill priorities in life, and that is to love and serve our Creator, family, and the people, animals, and environment around you – in that order.

Henry David Thoreau phrased it aptly, “Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.”

If I may add, it is also the capacity to help others live a full life.

Therefore, it’s too myopic to measure wealth in monetary terms.

Wealth should also be about being rich in purpose, service, and contribution to others and the environment.

Go4It!

I hope this message will find a place in your heart.

By the way, I have also recorded other reflections.

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Life is FUNtastic!