Maybe there’s a person alive who doesn’t want to make more money, but I haven’t met him yet. Each of us, in one form or another, is very likely to take on more hours, another job, borrow money to start a new business, or invest our money to retire early. We are driven by images in our minds: of lazy days spent with our families, of travel and “the good life.” It exists, for many of us, somewhere just beyond our reach.
By definition, money is a medium of exchange, whether it’s a cowrie shell being used by African traders or a paper bill being passed in stores today. New civilizations have always established these systems first, in order to keep the economy vibrant and cyclical. Money was not only a means of exchanging one commodity for another, it was a symbol of value, and a means of comparing the value of goods (i.e., hours of work for payment received). Ever since, we have been obsessed with the getting and spending of money.
Many have rushed in to fill the void, eager to decode the real meaning of money. Even publishers have gotten in on the act, releasing books with a spiritual bent and heralding “enlightened” CEOs like Bob Kierlin of Ohio’s Fastenal. When Hollywood executives are reading The Art of War and using yogic breathing before intense contract negotiations, you know the phenomenon has trickled down to the general public.
Many of us, especially if raised in the Judeo-Christian traditions, are taught to view money as the “root of all evil.” From our first days, we looked at this primal means of exchange with suspicion or even fear. People who have money are viewed as coarse, greedy and unholy. They are revered as much as they are reviled for daring to break away from the rest of us.
But all this thinking does is transfer our power to other people. Instead of viewing our transactions as what they are, equal exchanges between seller and buyer, we allow others to intimidate us because they are larger, richer or seemingly ubiquitous. We perceive that we have to buy other people’s products because they are the only ones available. We use excuses like, “the healthier ones cost ten cents more,” or find comfort in the fact that we’ve always used a particular brand.
Thankfully, today’s consumers and business owners are getting smarter about the way they approach problems of money. Even people like Bill Gates, one of the richest people in the world, can teach us that having ungodly amounts of money is not inconsistent with charitable behavior. Though his foundation, Gates effects the landscape by providing grants to education and healthcare initiatives around the globe. So in a way, buying the latest version of Microsoft Office will help Bill stock a few more libraries, or fund a few more healthcare studies.
If that isn’t enough for you, look no further than Oprah Winfrey, arguably one of the most successful women in history. Through her television show, magazine and media empire, Ms. Winfrey has facilitated an environment of healing, growth and personal development. She has gotten people to read again with her Book Club, and has even found time to do battle with an author or two. Oprah's latest book comes equipped with wit and inspiration, from someone who knows how to bring it every day.
But if these people aren’t your particular cup of tea, know that you can release old, negative feelings about money in order to bring more of it into your life. Whatever your skill, you can do it for a living. I know, I can hear the chorus of yeah, sures from here, but hear me out. Making a living at your chosen field doesn’t mean that you have to find success in the traditional way. If success in your discipline means driving a BMW, or getting a record deal, or selling your screenplay, why not try broadening the definition a bit? Maybe success is in your discipline should be defined as driving whatever makes you feel most comfortable, selling your record come hell or high water (even if you have to put up your own web page to do it), or finding an independent filmmakers' group to help you shoot your screenplay.
Or, if the problem is having enough time to create your masterpiece, maybe the most valuable commodity in your life is time. Instead of waiting for a Big Break (which is just another form of giving away your power to the Man, let’s face it), why not get your budget balanced now?
They may be roots, but not of evil. In fact, your money may become your Best Friend Forever if you simply change your perspective.
Copyright 2006 Find Your Prosperity.com Resource Box:
Alyson Mead is founder of http://www.FindYourProsperity.com. In her 18-year career as an award-winning writer, she has published hundreds of articles in over 25 outlets, including Salon, AOL, MSN-NBC, BUST, New York Daily News, Bitch, The Sun, In These Times and more. She has received the Columbine Award for Screenwriting, the Roy W. Dean Filmmaking Grant, and a Writer's Digest Award. |
