There’s More to Life Than Money
"The most precious things in life are not those you get for money."-Albert Eistein
It’s easy to know how well you did in school,
the baseball game, or even at work. But how do you grade success in life?
There’s more to life than money.
In school we receive grades; in baseball we
count runs; and at work we get performance reviews. But life isn’t quite that
simple. We may ask ourselves: “Do I have more good days or bad days? Am I doing
better today than yesterday? Do I give more than I take? Am I doing better or
worse than others?”
At the end of a day, we may say: “Three people
smiled at me, someone thanked me for doing them a favor, and my kids told me
they loved me.” Not bad.
But . . . it’s really hard to put a figure on
intangibles such as a smile, a thank you, and the love of our children. And
because these intangibles are difficult to quantify (and frequently not in the
public eye), we often discount their true worth. Instead, we turn to more
recognizable ways to measure success — money and the things it can buy.
And why not?
Money is tangible. You can feel it. You can count it. You can flaunt
it. You can use it to impress others, while impressing yourself.
Money is flexible. You can save it or spend it. You can buy
something for yourself or a friend. Or, you can invest your money and hopefully
turn it into more money.
Money spells success. (Or does it?) It’s tempting to assume that if
we have a better car, a bigger house, and take more vacations, we’re leading
“the good life.” But, are we leading a meaningful life?
The truth is, money can’t buy everything. For
example, money can’t buy peace of mind, good friends, a close-knit family,
work-life balance, a worry-free day, good karma, time to relax, good health, a
golden anniversary, quality time with your kids, a new beginning, natural
beauty, happy memories, to name just a few. Many people are actually poor
because the only thing they have is money.
If You Live for Money, It’s Time to Get a Life
Are you willing to sacrifice your dreams for
more money? Some folks justify
continuing in a miserable job situation by acknowledging that they’re well
compensated. The truth is, life is short. People who live a life of purpose wake up each morning excited to pursue their
dreams and make a difference. — Money can’t guarantee that.
Are you willing to compromise your honor for
more money? Everything has a
price, but not everything should be for sale. Some folks make money by being
ruthless or doing unscrupulous things. People with a clear conscience have core
beliefs and values that influence their decisions, shape their day-to-day
actions, and determine their short- and long-term priorities. The result is
that they spend more time listening to their inner voice. — Chances are, they
sleep well at night.
Are you willing to squander your happiness for
more money? Some people don’t
understand the meaning of enough. They think the grass is always greener on
their neighbor’s side of the fence. Others understand the difference between
wanting and needing. As the Yiddish proverb says, “The truly rich are
those who enjoy what they have.” — Nowhere in the proverb is the word money
mentioned.
Are you willing to forgo relationships for
more money? Think about “the
takers.” You know them. They measure every action by how much they will
personally benefit, while “the givers” do things without expectation of
personal gain. Givers receive as much satisfaction (and as many karma points)
by creating win-win relationships and giving to others than if they had
benefited personally. — Which are you?
Are you willing to compromise quality of life
for more money? Some people eye a
prize without considering the sacrifices required to achieve it. Success has
its own tradeoffs. It may demand long hours, time away from family or a
significant financial commitment. The key is to understand the requirements for
success before embarking on your journey. — Choose wisely.
Are you willing to forgo peace of mind for
more money? There are those who
feel that happiness lies in having more. So they never have enough. As a
consequence, they set very high expectations and are constantly worried and stressed-out. — Do you call that happiness?
Are you willing to cash in your personal
dignity for more money?
Some people are consumed with seeking the approval of others. The most
important person to satisfy, however, is you. It’s your life. So do your best.
Be your own person. And remember, you’re not finished until you do yourself proud. As John Mason, author, said, “You were born
an original. Don’t die a copy.” — It’s time to be the real you.
Money . . . What’s It All Worth?
I’m not saying that money isn’t important.
Rather, this is a plea to acknowledge that there’s more to life than money. We must assign appropriate value to the
intangible areas of our lives, such as our honor, personal relationships, peace
of mind, and quality family time, to name a few examples. If we take these
things for granted, and lose them as a result, we are on the road to personal
bankruptcy.
It’s important to keep money in perspective.
Do you spend more money satisfying your desires than fulfilling your needs? Do
you let money dictate your activities, affect your relationships, and consume
your thoughts? Is money a constant cause of anxiety and a source of stress? If
you answer yes to these questions, you may be becoming a slave to your money.
When you look back on your life one day, will
you gauge success by the power that you attained and the wealth that you
accumulated? Or, will you measure the degree to which your life was rich in
character and purpose? Will it matter that you led an honorable existence, made
a difference in people’s lives, and left the world a better place for your
children? Albert Einstein said it well, “Not everything that can be counted
counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” The choice is yours.
There’s more to life than money.
What Are Your Thoughts About Money?
Credit: Frank Sonnenberg
This is truly a thought provoking piece. Ride on Oma!!!!. Its rily nyc 2 always remember dat money can buy you somethings but not every thing. Considering the fact that money cannot buy True hapiness in life.
ReplyDeleteAlot to pick from here, money obviously good, the love of it being the root of all evil, we should therefore Lord it.Cant's over agree with this post.May God help Us
ReplyDelete