As people, we thrive with emotional and physical support from family, friends and our community. As entrepreneurs, business owners, employers and employees we deliver value to others. The more value we deliver, the greater our potential wealth.
It is nobler to be poor than to be rich, and not lose our souls.
This is the subconscious belief that many clients bring to our work. Although the belief is subconscious, it still drives much of their other beliefs and behaviors—or better stated, it limits their experience of the world.
Imagine two very different sets of friends:Â
One set eschews wealth and prefers to experience life fully and richly.
They love parties, sex, and getting high. They believe learning complex skills is giving into the power structure. Life is about love, not competition. Greedy capitalists have more than their fair share of the wealth, and most of their income should be taxed. In this group, their income is hand-to-mouth, and there are no savings for unexpected expenses or retirement. They move in and out of various social welfare programs.
What about the second set of friends?
They also party and have a good time, but their focus and satisfaction center around creating a future for themselves and gaining the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that can deliver extraordinary value to others. They read a wide range of books and focus on their education to develop their talents. As they become adults, they build bridges, research medical cures, start technology companies, and deliver a tremendous amount of value to their communities and the wider world.
The second set of friends become extraordinarily wealthy. How much value has the first set of friends contributed to you? What about the second?Â
This next concept may boggle your mind:
The wealthier you are, the more value you have delivered.
Yes, there is fraud, cheating, con artists, and thievery. We know there are lottery winners and trust fund babies. But they are a small part of the whole.Â
Yes, there are spiritual values that trump everything.
There are people who deliver huge cultural value without making any money, such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Teresa, and Gandhi. You don’t have to be one or the other . . . but do you know how you are best suited to deliver value? Either choice is okay.
If the primary value you deliver is commercial, does your bank account reflect the value you deliver to others?
If not, can you increase the value you deliver? Can you get compensated for that value? Are you worthy of being paid for the value you deliver? Will your net worth reflect the increasing value delivered in ten years? What skills do you need to get paid for the value you deliver?
Notice your experience as you step into wealth as a positive value.
