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As the son of a clergyman, I am familiar with the Bible phrase, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” The phrase has been widely quoted by authors, speakers and religious leaders to warn us about what can happen when we place too much emphasis on money.
Yes, I believe the love of money can be the root to evil for some people, but let’s face it; there is a lot of evil that has nothing to do with money.
I certainly realize you can have all the money in the world and not be happy and I’m aware that success is not measured by money alone. But prosperity is an admirable goal. The real issues are people’s reasons for acquiring money and what they do with it, not whether having it is right or wrong.
In this lesson I want to bring your attention to 10 reasons why prosperity should be viewed positively.
1. Who You Become—A favorite quote of mine by my mentor Jim Rohn, “When you become a millionaire it’s not the million dollars that makes you valuable, it’s who you become in the process,” speaks to the importance of personal growth. When you consistently stretch yourself to do your very best, you grow, your value to the market is increased and you’re self-worth as well as your self-confidence become treasured realities.
2. Help Those In Need—One of the greatest joys in life for my wife and me is to help those who are less fortunate in our local community and in third world countries. We particularly feel an aching in our hearts for orphans and today our family sponsors a community of more than 50 children in Swaziland. How would you feel if you had extra money to help those who break your heart?
3. You Will Become More Respected—As you grow and develop your skills, habits and personal character, those around you will look to you with respect and admiration. As people’s respect for you grows, so will your influence and usefulness as a leader. I have to believe the life of someone who is deeply respected is better than the life of someone who is not.
4. You Will Be An Example To Your Children—If you will strive for excellence in doing the little things to help you advance up the pay scale in your chosen occupation, you will be a great example for your children. After all, your example is likely the #1 influencing factor in their lives.
5. Your Influence on People’s Lives—As your influence grows, people will look to you and follow the example you set, which can be very rewarding and fulfilling. Remember, as a leader when you do the little things to get better, everyone you lead gets better.
6. Children’s Education—The cost of education in America is on the rise each year. The more money you make, the better able you will be to provide educational opportunities for your children. Would providing the best possible education for your children bring greater satisfaction to your life?
7. Reduces Financial Pressure—How would you feel if you never had to worry about your finances? Would your stress level be different? The number one source of tension in a marriage is finances. Would you be able to improve your relationship with your spouse? For those of you who are struggling financially, what would an extra $100,000 do for your peace of mind?
8. Better Health—There are countless studies that show a clear link between money and health. Affluent people tend to eat better foods, take nutritional supplements, and exercise with greater consistency (using the same discipline that allowed them to succeed in their business or occupation).
9. Retire Early—If you can save enough money to live off the income of your investments, you can choose to retire early to travel, enjoy life’s experiences and pursue your passion. While early retirement is not for everyone, having enough money to make the choice is attractive.
10. Quality of Life—Money can afford you a better quality of life. I am typing this post in my home office overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. It is beautiful! There is no doubt the beauty of the Gulf and the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach brings me great enjoyment and reminds me of the gratitude I have for the quality of life I am able to experience.
I believe thinking negatively about money is an unproductive belief and as long as you think that way, so will go the course of your life. I believe God wants us to give our very best to what we do and who we become and if we earn a lot of money in the process, so much the better. We can use that money to improve our lives and the lives of our family and through our charitable giving we can impact the lives of those who are less fortunate.
I challenge you to make a commitment that you will stretch yourself to become the person who will attract more money into your life through your hard work, discipline and wise decisions.
“Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.” -Jim Rohn
About the Author: Todd Smith is a successful entrepreneur of 30 years and founder of Little Things Matter. To receive Todd’s daily lessons, subscribe here. All Todd’s lessons are also available on iTunes as downloadable podcasts. (Todd’s podcasts are ranked #27 in America’s top 100 podcasts and #1 in the personal and development field.)
Related Posts:
The Hidden Benefits of Discipline
Who Do I Have to Become to Get What I Want?
What’s Your Value to The Market
How to Become a Respected Leader
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As a dynamic entrepreneur for 30 years, Todd Smith has enjoyed professional success, ranking him in the top 1/100 of 1 percent of the people in his chosen fields. His podcasts are the # 1 most subscribed to podcasts in personal and professional development field (exclusive of iTunes).