How To Get Rich
One of my former youth group kids had a question for me. It was a very clear, direct, and commonly asked question. "What's the best way to build wealth?" I get this question all the time, so I gave him my absolute best answer. Two answers, actually:
Pursue meaningful work
Always be generous
Confused, he asked a follow-up question. "How will those things help me build wealth?"
"They won't, but they will give you a rich life. That's what you're looking for, right?"
This was the beginning of a wonderful conversation. Without rehashing the entire thing, it led us down a fun road about the purpose of money. He, like so many, equate more money with a better life. In other words, if he can create wealth for himself, he'll have a great life. If he doesn't, he might not.
What I wanted him to take away was this. Wealth is just that, wealth. In and of itself, it provides nothing. I know many wealthy people who live poor lives. On the flip side, a rich life is a rich life. Living a rich life doesn't necessarily require lots of money. A rich life is accessible to all, regardless of education, income, age, or status. Even better, the prerequisites to living a rich life are simple: pursue meaningful work and always be generous. There are obviously more components to a rich life, but if we practice just those two things, there's a high likelihood we'll lead a rich, fulfilling, meaningful life.
Before I close the book on this post, please hear me out. I'm NOT advocating for us living a life of poverty. We must find a way to provide for our family and pay for basic needs. Without that, it will most certainly be a challenging and laborious road. What I'm speaking about here is the choice between having enough and having more than enough. Having enough unlocks the possibility of a rich life. The pursuit of more than enough will often sabotage our ability to live the rich life we are seeking.
Hope this gives you something to think about today. Have an awesome day!