Why do you want to be rich?
Why do you want to be rich? That's a great question. And your answer probably includes a lot of the payoffs associated with the luxurious lifestyles of the rich and famous. Nice cars. Travel. Sexy people. Fame. Envy. A feeling of having succeeded. These things are pretty awesome. So why do you want to be rich? What is better about being rich rather than being poor? Take a moment and answer that question for yourself.
I hear that question, or some variation of it, asked in motivational speeches. Attend a small business seminar and they always talk about how you can achieve wealth with their system. They talk about fine houses and fine cars. They talk about being able to do what you "want" to do instead of what you "have" to do. They talk about the unlimited income and the luxurious life that you get from having such an income. Pretty appealing, right?
It's a busted strategy! If you want to achieve wealth so that you can live a life of luxury, then the truth is that you aren't after wealth. You are after luxury. Luxury is a lifestyle of relaxation. Wealth isn't built from the commitment to luxury. Wealth is built on a higher commitment. If you are committed to bringing the best product at the best price to your customers, that's a commitment that can generate wealth. Look at Sam Walton of Walmart fame. Do you think his objective was to sit in a hot tub? Or was his objective to create something huge that served his customers? He created an empire out of ambition. Not in the pursuit of luxury.
The next time someone asks you, "Why do you want to be rich?", tell them, "I don't want to be rich, I want to be successful. I want to be the very best [something] in the world. I want to my customers to love me because I am 100% committed to providing them with the best [whatever] possible." Set your goals the way an athlete does. Don't set your goals on houses and boats. Set your goals on being the best at what you do.
Do what you love and the money will follow.
Jerry