by Chinkee Tan
A lot of people equate being RICH with SUCCESS.
The understandable formula is – if you are RICH then you are most likely SUCCESSFUL.
But how do you explain the truth that even in their success, some people still feel SAD? Making money seems to make you happy for the moment, but once you get what you desire, you still end up feeling EMPTY.
I can remember the bike that I wanted to have when I was a child. I was thinking, dreaming, and wanting to have that. I told myself that I will be the happiest child when I will have it. But once I had it, the feeling of fulfillment and excitement lasted on for a few weeks. After that, I moved on the next new thing.
This works the same way on people who are aspiring to become rich. Let me tell you one life-changing truth that I discovered in life: Being rich is not only a state of well being but also a state of mind and heart.
Here are truths that may help you determine whether you are rich where it matters most:
– THERE ARE NO RICHES IN THE WORLD GREATER THAN HAVING A LOVING FAMILY
If you do not have a loving family in spite of your financial success in life, you are NOT truly rich.
In the eyes of men, your material possessions make you rich. But the absence of the love and support one gets from a family makes you POOR at the end of the day.
Having a family who loves you gives you EMOTIONAL WEALTH. It fills a void that cannot be replaced by money nor fame. Family is where you draw your strength, inspiration, and passion in life.
– HAVING A LOVING FAMILY IS A POWERFUL TOOL
The emotional support that your family gives you when you feel like giving up is PRICELESS. Just when you are ready to quit, their love will sustain you and give you the renewed strength that you need in order to move forward.
– HAVING A LOVING FAMILY HELPS YOU FIND YOUR PURPOSE.
If you have kids, always make time for them. If your parents are still alive, value the time that you spend with them and learn from their experiences. Having a loving family makes you have a better appreciation of time. You begin to understand that no amount of worldly riches can ever give you the same joy that comes from being with your loved ones.
REALITY CHECK! As a parent, it is your DUTY and OBLIGATION to work hard and make sure that your children get a better shot in life than you did.
You did not get to choose when you were born POOR, but you get a CHOICE as to how to live your life. And most definitely, you can choose what legacy you will leave behind.
Just like everyone else in this planet, you have 24 hours to make something of your life every single day. It doesn’t who you are or where you came from or how difficult your life was growing up. What matters is the choice you make today to live differently.
THINK. REFLECT. APPLY.
What kind of riches are you working hard to amass? Is your success giving you real happiness? What can you do to achieve permanent happiness in life?
