To possess money is very
well and good. It may be a most valuable servant. But to be possessed by it is to be
possessed by a devil, and one of the meanest and worst kind of devils.
The truly godly person is
not interested in becoming rich. He possesses inner resources which
furnish riches far beyond the world can offer. Our happiness lies in the
joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effect.
Here's a wonderful testimony
of Adam Khoo who is reputed as Singapore's youngest millionaire
at the age of 26.
I travel around the region pretty
frequently, having to visit and conduct seminars at my offices in
Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Suzhou (China). I am in the airport
almost every other week so I get to bump into many people who have
attended my seminars or have read my books.
Recently, someone came up to me on a plane to KL and looked rather
shocked. He asked, 'How come a millionaire like you is traveling
economy?' My reply was, 'That's why I am a millionaire.' He still looked
pretty confused.
This again confirms that greatest lie ever told about wealth (which I
wrote about in my latest book 'Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires' ).
Many people have been brainwashed to think that millionaires have to
wear Gucci, Hugo Boss, Rolex, and sit on first class in air travel. This
is why so many people never become rich because the moment they earn
more money, they think that it is only natural that they spend more,
putting them back to square one.
The truth is that most self-made millionaires are frugal and only spend
on what is necessary and of value. That is why they are able to
accumulate and multiply their wealth so much faster.
Over the last 7 years, I have saved about 80% of my income while today I
save only about 60% (because I have my wife, mother-in-law, 2 maids, 2
kids, etc. to support). Still, it is way above most people who save 10%
of their income (if they are lucky).
I refuse to buy a first class ticket or to buy a $300 shirt because I
think that it is a complete waste of money. However, I happily pay
$1,300 to send my 2-year old daughter to Julia Gabriel Speech and Drama
without thinking twice.
When I joined the YEO (Young Entrepreneur's Organization, an exclusive
club open to those who are under 40 and make over $1m a year in their
own business) a few years back, I discovered that those who were
self-made thought like me. Many of them with net worth well over $5m,
traveled economy class and some even drove Toyota's and Nissans, not
Audis, Mercs or BMWs.
I noticed that it was only those who never had to work hard to build
their own wealth (there were also a few ministers' and tycoons' sons in
the club) who spent like there was no tomorrow.
Somehow, when you did not have to build everything from scratch, you do
not really value money. This is precisely the reason why a family's
wealth (no matter how much) rarely lasts past the third generation.
Thank God my rich dad foresaw this terrible possibility and refused to
give me a cent to start my business.
Then some people ask me, 'What is the point in making so much money if
you don't enjoy it?' The thing is that, I don't really find happiness in
buying branded clothes, jewelers or sitting first class. Even if buying
something makes me happy it is only for a while, it does not last.
Material happiness never lasts, it just give you a quick fix. After a
while you feel lousy again and have to buy the next thing which you
think will make you happy. I always think that if you need material
things to make you happy, then you live a pretty sad and unfulfilled
life..
Instead, what makes me happy is when I see my children laughing and
playing and learning so fast. What makes me happy is when I see my
companies and trainers reaching more and more people every year in so
many more countries. What makes me really happy is when I read all the
emails about how my books and seminars have touched and inspired
someone's life.
What makes me really happy is reading all your wonderful posts about how
this blog is inspiring you. This happiness makes me feel really good for
a long time, much much more than what a Rolex would do for me.
I think the point I want to put across is that happiness must come from
doing your life's work (be it teaching, building homes, designing,
trading, winning tournaments etc.) and the money that comes is only a
by-product.
If you hate what you are doing and rely on the money you earn to make
you happy by buying stuff, then I think that you are living a life of
meaninglessness.
Related articles (click a link):
The
Money Factor;
Money, Last Power at Old Age
With
money,
we can buy a house but not a home;
we
can buy a clock but not time; we can buy a bed
but not sleep;
we
can buy a book but not knowledge;
we can
see a doctor but not good health;
we can buy a position but not respect;
we
can buy blood but not life;
we can buy sex but not love. |