How Rich are You ?

"We are, all of us, richer than we think we are." - Michel De Montaigne

I wish to restate my position on becoming rich so you understand my priorities in life. While being rich is important, it is not the most important thing - if you doubt this ask anyone in a cancer ward in hospital. What does being rich mean to you ?

Are you rich if you have more money than your parents? Your friends? Your neighbours? Or do you have to be as wealthy as Kerry Packer - or Bill Gates? Would you be rich if you could afford a new car or would it have to be a Porsche or Humvee ?

If you could pay all your bills every month? Perhaps you wouldn't consider yourself rich until you never had to worry about money ever again. Being "rich" can - and does - mean very different things to different people.

Almost everyone you know wants to be richer than they are at the moment. Almost everyone wants to make more money. But it is important to understand that being rich in life isn't simply about making more money. Many people mistakenly believe this is the case.

Money is something you can use to get things done and the more money you have the more things you can do or want to do.

But many things are more than money; a loving partner, a supportive family, friend you can trust and depend on, a career you enjoy ... You might be rich, but without these things you won't enjoy life as much as you could. Happiness is largely based on non-material things, your health, your attitude to life, your feeling of self-worth and your core values and beliefs. And living life to the full is about focusing your emotional energy in positive channels, and directing this energy into everything do you, at work or play.

I've often heard people say, "If I had more money, I'd be happy". But they are wrong. Don't misunderstand me - of course money makes life easier. With money you won't lie awake at night worrying about the bills and you will feel more secure. Money can give you opportunities, too, such as the freedom to move in circles barred to poorer people, or to have experience out of the reach of others.

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RICHER THAN YOU THINK?

How do you feel about that? A bit richer we hope.

$8 could buy you 15 organic apples OR 25 fruit trees for farmers in Honduras to grow and sell fruit at their local market.

$30 could buy you an ER DVD Boxset OR a First Aid kit for a village in Haiti.

$73 could buy you a new mobile phone OR a new mobile health clinic to care for AIDS orphans in Uganda.

$2400 could buy you a second generation High Definition TV OR schooling for an entire generation of school children in an Angolan village.

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DID YOU KNOW..?

Microsoft CEO Bill Gates has more wealth than the bottom 45 percent of American households combined.