Me and Money

It is stories that have caused many well meaning, but ignorant people to say, "See, I told you it is not good to have a lot of money, it's bad," or, "It just goes to show you that rich people really aren't happy;" but of course, that is just not true. For although some people would appear to have "slid off the track," there are many wealthy people who are very happy, and who do a tremendous amount of good with their money; they live healthy, well-balanced lives.

Consider this—money will have a greater influence on your life than almost any other commodity you can think of. Indeed, the sudden loss or acquisition of money will affect your attitude to a tremendous extent. Therefore, you must agree that everyone should have a deep understanding of exactly what money is, and of the laws governing its attraction. Yet, the sad fact is that not one person in ten does. Ninety-five people out of a hundred settle for whatever they get, wishing they had more all the way from the cradle to the casket, never understanding that they could actually have had all they wanted.

Money Is Important

One of the most prevalent misconceptions concerning money relates to its importance. For example, how many times have you heard people say in conversation, "Money isn't everything." or "Money isn't important." or "I don't care about money." (If you are a person with such attitude towards money, please read You Were Born Rich and see if there is a change in your mind)  Well, the people who say these things might not care about money, but I'll bet their car dealer cares about it; their grocer does; and so does the person who holds their mortgage. In truth, there can be no denial of the fact that money is important to any person living in a civilized society. Therefore, to argue that it is not as important as this or that, is absurd. For nothing can take the place of money in the arena in which it is used!

Money Is A Servant

Now that I have affirmed the importance of money, let me backtrack to add this one word of caution— always remember, money is a servant; you are the master. Be very careful not to reverse that equation, because many people of high intelligence have already done so, to their great detriment. Unfortunately, many of these poor souls loved money and used people, which violated one of the most basic laws governing true financial success. You should always love people and use money, rather than the reverse!

Another myth many people like to accept about money is that it only comes as a result of "luck" or "good fortune." For instance, whenever people gather to talk about someone they know who has been financially successful, there is always someone among them who will say, "Harry was just lucky," or "Harry was just in the right place at the right time." But I want to assure you in no uncertain terms, that although "luck" obviously plays some part in financial success, it is never sufficient in and of itself. Money is an effect and it must always be earned. Believe me, there are no free rides in this life and the only people who are making money the easy way either work in the mint or are on their way to jail, if they have not already arrived there. Therefore, always bear in mind that while 'good fortune" is a factor in financial success, it must always be coupled with effort and hard work!

Money Must Circulate

A third thing you should know about money is that it is valuable only as long as it is being used. Once it has been taken out of circulation, it becomes as worthless as the "old newspapers" or "empty beer cans" that have been stashed away in the attic. To understand the truth of this principle, consider the following story.  Now, whenever I go into my house, I take all the change from my pockets and put it into the cup. Then, when the cup is almost filled, I give it to one of my children, or one of two young cousins. Each of them takes turns receiving the cup and of course they eagerly anticipate their turn. The point I want you to notice, however, is that while the cup is being filled, the money in it has absolutely no value whatsoever; it just sits there, serving no useful function and not even drawing any interest.