About those rich people …

I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor and rich is better … up to a point.

Okay, I’ve never been REALLY poor.

The  global poverty line is only $2 per day and I’ve ALWAYS had at least $60 per month to live on.

Anik Singal has some great ideas about helping people living at the global poverty line.  You can check out his TED talk by clicking here.

I’m really talking to rich people for the most part. (that includes people who think they are poor living in the U.S.)

It really doesn’t matter how much money you make if you think you are poor.  It still hurts just as bad to think you are poor as to actually be poor in most cases.

If you think you are rich, you are.

The first step to wealth is knowing that you are already wealthy.

There’s a real value in counting your blessings and being grateful for them.

And wealth can be a pain.

From time to time, I’ve been in the top 2% of the world in income and the truth is, somebody always wants to take it from you.

The IRS certainly wants a good chunk.  People who don’t have enough money want it.  And, a lot of people who have plenty of money want it … well just because.

Then come the questions of whether people really want you or just want your money.

Doubt sets in.

I know my share of wealthy people and there’s a common theme once you get above a certain level of financial and social success.

The theme is, “I’ve limited the people that I trust.”

And you can lose it quickly.

I used to ask people at my events to stand up if they had made over a million dollars in their business and at least half the room would stand up.

Then I’d ask them to sit down if they had LOST that money after they made it.

Almost everyone sits down.

Success is a path with peaks and valleys.

When you are in the valley you find out who your true friends are.

Value those people.

Contrary to popular belief …

I don’t hate money.

• Money is right up there with air in making survival possible.
• And it is a HUGE leverage point for making things happen.
• And yes, it makes you happy, up to a point.
• And it definitely makes life easier.

Just know what it’s proper value is, be prepared to protect that value and finally leverage that value.

Money has NO value sitting in the bank.

To get value out of money, we need to be creating and thoughtful so that we can make something of even greater value.

Show up, do the work and keep at it.

You will get noticed, because quality always does.

All the best,