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What Separates the Wealthy From Those Who Just Have Money
By Carlon Haas | October 16, 2007
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The minute you walked into my friend’s house, you knew. He had all the usual trappings of wealth—the high-priced sports car, million-dollar home equipped with all the high-tech gadgets you could ask for, expensive furniture, the works.
You could say my friend had it all. But there was only one problem. And that problem was…
…he was never home to enjoy any of it.
In fact, he typically worked 80-100 hours a week. He maybe got to ride in his sports car an hour a week. He never watched his large plasma screen TV.
But to those around him. He was someone to be envied. “Look at all that he has. If I had that, I’d be so happy.”
And those people are not alone. When most people think about wealth, they view it in terms of possessions. Don’t believe me? Go take a look at those late-night info-mericials selling courses on real estate and other business opportunities,
What do they show? People on yachts. People in fancy houses. People in high-priced sports cars. You get the picture.
But I define wealth differently. I define wealth as having the time to enjoy your life. The time to spend some tie with the people you care most about. And most importantly to have the time to spend on your own personal development.
Some people envy “the rich”. But I know better. I’ve seen too many of the “rich” work so much that they never see their kids and their house staff enjoys their homes more than they do.
That’s not wealth. That’s just having money. Wealth is not just having money, it’s having the time to enjoy it.
So, when you map out your career, don’t just consider how much money you will make. Think about how much time you will get to enjoy it. Then you will be on your way to true wealth.
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Topics: Balance, Financial Freedom, Simplify Your Life, Wealth |
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6 Responses to “What Separates the Wealthy From Those Who Just Have Money”
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October 16th, 2007 at 11:55 am
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October 16th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
So, so true.
I have a few really wealthy friends and they have the same problems as the rest of us. Worry about their kids, their health, their relationships - and their main preoccupation is their MONEY!
They are more afraid of losing it than people who have just a comfortable life style!
And they always question whether people are their friends or are just cashing in on the bounty of vacations homes, contacts etc.
Intelligent and real article!
Thanks!
October 16th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
Your last paragraph hit the nail on the head!! :o)
October 16th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
I think of myself as extremely wealthy. That doesn’t mean I have piles of money or fancy material things. I think we’d all be better off if we redefined what wealth is.
I’d much rather go down to the local animal shelter than go on a yacht trip.
I like the old Spanish proverb: “Health, wealth and the time to enjoy it.”
October 17th, 2007 at 8:23 am
Re: Corinne
Your comments are on the mark in more ways than one. As a former marketer, I know firsthand how fear of loss is a powerful motivator that can lead people to making bad (see–emotional) buying decisions. Translated into life, I think we can see that where we like to think of people as “greedy” they are just in fact scared like a lot of us out there.
Re: Jean
Agreed. Isn’t it funny how people will sacrifice time and health for money and then wonder why they are not happy? There’s nothing wrong with having a lot of money, but if money controls you then you are no longer the master of your own fate.
By the way, I enjoyed the article you linked to about your favorite charity. Nice.
October 27th, 2007 at 8:31 am
Thanks for the reminder. I sometimes find myself envying others for what they have - even when I know they are unhappy or too busy to enjoy it. I may not have much myself, but I have fun and appreciate what I do. Great article.