Why building wealth is important to me
One of the common questions I’m asked by my friends is, ‘Why are you so focused on money?’ I came up with an analogy yesterday that describes why money, or building wealth in my life, is really important to me right now.
Basically, it revolves around the fact that I’ve lived in poverty most of my life, and I’m sick of it. I’m 43 years old this year, and I simply do not want to live in poverty any more. My quest to build wealth and enjoy the results of that results from a life of poverty, but deciding to move beyond it and never look back.
For people who have not lived a lifetime of poverty, they would not understand. I understand and accept that. They’ve enjoyed being born into a middle-class or even wealthy family, and have grown up enjoying the things that having money can give them. As a result, they’ve taken it for granted.
However, every time I hear people telling me to stop aspiring to have more money, it makes me feel angry. Those people who keep on telling me that, they’ve never lived a life of poverty, so they really wouldn’t understand what it’s like. For me, it’s important, and it’s personal.
Let me try and explain in in a way that you might understand…
Imagine if you were born with legs that just didn’t work. You couldn’t walk, you couldn’t run, you couldn’t do anything that you saw everyone else doing. You lived with envy, and you wished with all your heart that one day you would have legs so that you could do all the things that everyone else was doing, which you couldn’t. You could see them running around, laughing, having a great time, playing sports, bushwalking, having such a fantastic, happy time. You could only watch them regretfully, as you sat there in your wheelchair.
And then, through some kind of miracle, you began to find you could use your legs. You could stand up, walk, you could run, you could go and do all the things that you were never able to do before!
And you loved it. You ran everywhere, and you were so happy that now you had legs that worked for you. You laughed, you ran, and all you could talk about was how wonderful it was to finally have legs.
And then you met people that tried to tell you that having legs wasn’t all that life was about. Having legs was overrated. Why not just have a seat for a while, and just enjoy life without worrying about running around everywhere, they’d say.
How would you feel about them trying to tell you to stop enjoying something that you’ve never had in your entire life?
And how would you feel if, no matter what you said about how much you enjoyed your new legs because you haven’t had them before, they just kept on telling you to stop aspiring to use your legs so much, that having legs was the root to all evil, and that you’d never be happy if you just kept on trying to run around all the time.
You’d feel like smacking them across the face, because they’ve never lived your life. They’ve always had legs, and you never did. They don’t know what it’s like to live for 40 years without legs.
For me, I’ll just keep on enjoying these legs that allow me to do things and go places that I’ve never been able to do or go to before. And if I leave all those friends and acquaintances behind because they’re just sitting down, sadly tsk’ing me behind my back about how obsessed I am with my nice new legs, then so be it.
They can can all go to hell, those bastards who think they can tell me I should stop using my new legs….
So that’s why I want to build wealth at this stage in my life. Because I’ve lived a life of poverty. And I don’t want to go back to that life. I’ve been there, done that, and you can stick that life where the sun don’t shine.
At the same time, I hope that as I succeed in my endeavours, I can help others do the same. I’m talking about my experiences, and suggesting methods of achieving success. If I can help others achieve their own goals, or to help them get out of the rut of an unhappy life, then I’m doing something good for myself and for them.
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Comments
Sorry I haven’t posted a comment on this blog for while Alan.
I enjoyed reading this article and it reminded me of something, something I haven’t thought about for a long long time.
It reminded me of how poor I was when I was a child. Although I did not starve, we really did not have much. Meat was rationed; holiday was non event; my parents could not afford to buy a single toy for me for my entire childhood; it seemed there just weren’t enough warm clothes in winter for us three kids…
I am talking about early to mid 70s in China.
When I think about it, it actually does not feel like too distant memories. I am however, not traumatised by those early memories of life. How would you when everyone else in the country was living the same life as you and that was the only life you knew?
Well, things are of course vastly different now. The whole world knows that. And you wonder why Chinese people are so obsessed with money. After decades of living a life in poverty, Chinese are now enjoying their wealth in the most obsene way. And you can’t blame them.
Money gives a nation dignity, status and power.
It IS important.
Good on you, Alan, for enjoying your new pair of legs. 
If it applies to a nation, the same must apply to individuals.
(it was such a joy to catch up with you in Sydney last week!)
@Mark I think that I’m going through a stage of personal growth. To continue the analogy, once I’ve used my legs for a while, I’ll start to slow down and start accepting them as something that’s always going to be around. I won’t be so excited about them, and will get on with other elements of life. But for now, it’s all about the legs.
@Ella yes, you come from a lifestyle where your entire country was in the same situation as you were. I come from a lifestyle where I was the outsider looking in, unable to join the rest of them who were enjoying a much better lifestyle than me. You had nothing to compare your life to, but I was surrounded by comparisons, and found myself wanting.
I can certainly appreciate where China’s at right now. I think everyone in a similar situation must go through similar patterns of behaviour, since I recognise the similarities between your description of the Chinese and myself. But I just don’t think I’m as ‘obscene’ with it as they seem to be.
Interesting post. I think the real wealth comes when you give up envy. I used to think I needed money to help others then one day I woke up and thought, why don’t I just start now.
I started with Freecycle and have also been doing Give Away A Dollar A Day which is fun. I have a house full of stuff I can give away as well. Not like I am a millionaire yet, just that I already know I have more than others and in giving things away I am constantly reminding myself that I am not living a life of poverty if I can afford to give. Best, Mark.