When I was young, I wanted to be rich.
Insane amounts of money, exotic cars, vacation homes at the beach and in the mountains, private jets…these were the markers of success for me.
Then, my focus changed a bit. I still wanted to be rich; however, I wanted money so I could bless others with everything it could buy and do for them.
A step in a positive direction, to be sure.
However, the focus on money remained.
Then, I made a discovery that changed my life: money is just a placeholder for value. A focus on creating and providing value goes further than money ever could.
So I changed my focus.
Now, I wanted to be wealthy. “Wealthy” means something different to me than “rich.”
I am wealthy because I have my health, time, people in my life who love me (and whom I love), knowledge and skills I have accumulated along the way, and so much more.
This wealth allows me to create value.
Some of that value returns to me in the form of money. Much of the value I create comes back in ways I would never have imagined, dwarfing any expectation I held.
The interesting reality, at least for me, is that there is more money in this value-focused approach than there ever was when money was my focus.
Lesson learned.
It’s a beautiful thing to see those who have been abundantly financially blessed share their wealth and make positive impacts on the lives of those around them.
It’s equally satisfying to witness others who understand the genuine value of their non-financial assets invest them in lifting and building people in myriad ways.
Are you wealthy? I hope your answer is a resounding “Yes!”
What are you going to invest in today?
Thanks for taking a couple of minutes to read my thoughts.
I hope it was time well spent.
-Bryan