Laws of Success
Secret #5
As Seen On
Friends:
You may not believe this secret, but you need to believe it if wealth and success are your goals. What money is, and what it does, is probably not even closely related to what you think it is, or what you believe it does. I know that there are those among you who will say, "This guy is nuts!". Well, you won't be the first, but know this - if I'm a nut, I'm a rich and happy nut!
Some people think money is simply an evil necessity that was invented so we could buy all that great stuff we need and want. It is something you earn, then cash it in for all that neat stuff. A convenient form of barter. This is what we are taught, and this is what most people believe. Some may go a bit further and say that, if you have any excess, you can invest it to make more wealth. Well, those people are a bit closer, but still off the mark. I'll explain in a moment.
And here is another whammy - a ton of money does not constitute wealth! Wealth is far more than mere money - it is an attitude, a state of mind and a way of life. If you have ten million dollars, but you are unhappy, unfulfilled, bored, without spirit, without humor, without good friends, then you are not wealthy. You may be rich, but you lack true wealth. Wealth is a natural byproduct of the right lifestyle. If you live the right lifestyle, and have the right attitude and state of mind, money will come to you almost automatically. Remember Carl, that nice, generous, friendly car salesman? His lifestyle, attitude and state of mind kept increasing the number of his customers, thereby increasing his wealth. The money was nothing more than a byproduct of his chosen lifestyle. By being a great guy, people came to do business with him, and his wealth grew accordingly.
We're getting close here, so pay attention. If you chase wealth, it will run from you, and evade you. Wealth goes where it is deserved, not where it is wanted or needed. The other dealer, Bob, chased wealth, and ended up a loser. Carl, on the other hand, did not chase it - he simply let it come to him. The wealth chased him. Why? Because any wealth that comes to you will be given to you by someone else. Someone who wants to do business with you. Before you can have wealth in your hand, someone else must place it there. It must come to you. And if you want people passing their cash into your account, you need to give them a good reason for doing so.
So now we are beginning to understand some pretty basic principles here, so let's take it one more step - what money does. Certainly, money buys a lot of things. But in and of itself, money has absolutely no value. The value is only perceived by those who have or want it. Consider this: a man walks up to you and offers you a choice of either five million dollars or a Big Mac. Which one would you choose? Now let's say you are on a barren, desert island, starving, only inches from death. You find a bottle with a Genie in it, and he offers you a choice - five million dollars or a Big Mac. Now which one is worth more? Perception and circumstances create value.
And this brings us to the real power behind money: money is nothing more than a tool, like a hammer, a saw or a screwdriver. Ridiculous, you say? Ask yourself what you think a tool is, and what it does. Generally speaking, a tool is any object that is used primarily to construct something, or to change one thing into another. Money builds empires. It builds houses, churches, cars. Everything we have that we pay money for is built with money. Money is a tool. As such, a wealth seeker needs to realize that, like any other tool, it can only work for you if you keep it in your possession. If you trade your hammer in for a pizza, that hammer will now be working for someone else. And once you have eaten your pizza, you no longer have the pizza or the hammer. So, you need to hang onto as many tools as you can. Without tools, it is difficult, if not impossible, to build a future.
OK, so we know money only has a perceived value, and it is an effective tool for building a better future. The wealth seeker will realize that he can use that tool, and take advantage of the perceived value that others give it. He will invest that money, putting it to work earning more money. Businesses need that money, because its perceived value allows them to expand and profit. So, they borrow the money from investors (selling shares), and if all goes well, the investor receives a fair return on his investment. His tool is building a future. He leaves his profits in his investment portfolio, and now those funds are also making him money, and so on.
If you are beginning to get the complete picture, you will see that money must come to you because you live a lifestyle that attracts wealth (you are an asset). That wealth has a perceived value, and can be used as a tool to create more of the same (as long as you don't spend it - we'll get to that later, 'cuz we all have to eat).
For now, try to remember the guns and butter theory. Most people spend their extra money on "butter" items - things that make life a bit more fun. Luxury items. Then they grow old, and have nothing to show for it. They can't even afford real butter on a Social Security check. But wealth seekers put their extra money into guns (investments). Once the wealth seeker has all the guns he needs, you had better believe he can get all the butter he wants, whenever he wants it!
Secret #5 Summary: Money is not wealth. Money is a tool. You can give it away to others, or you can put it to work building more wealth. Your choice. Choose well.
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