A Working Definition of Wealth
Last week, we talked about our human tendency to take for granted the good things that are common in everyday life. We first have to be aware of these good things to appreciate them, and that gratitude, in turn, cultivates creativity. Creativity is the ability to look at a bunch of common stuff and imagine new stuff. If we are blind to the good stuff of the little things, we will never be able to connect the dots that lead to bigger things. Therefore, gratitude is essential for creativity.
We often link gratitude with material goods. We make the false assumption that a lot of material things will lead to a lot of gratitude. We also wrongly associate a certain level of accumulation, or a certain style of living, with success. We have heard much talk in the last few months about being really really rich. What does it mean to be really really rich? Webster’s dictionary defines wealth as “an abundance of valuable possessions or money.” Is that what wealth means? Almost every entrepreneur has visions of wealth, or at least improving their current financial status. There is nothing wrong with achieving it. Nevertheless, it is important to define wealth for yourself, and even more important for entrepreneurs to define it.
Why? Here are three valuable reasons to have your own working definition:
Defining wealth for yourself forces you to decide what you want out of your business. Is it real wealth if your family is left in the dust of your pursuit? Can you call it wealth if you lose your health in the process? Can any company truly call it ‘profit’ if it is a loss for the environment? It is easier to decide what you will and will not do to make a profit in your business before someone is waving a check in front of your nose.
Defining wealth for yourself forces you to decide what fulfillment looks like to you. Your Mother’s definition does not matter, nor your Uncle Bob’s. Forget performing for anyone else. Receiving their approval does not equal satisfaction. Financial gain does not always equal satisfaction. There are plenty of wealthy people leading miserable lives. You cannot call it wealth if it is not filling your cup. Remember this: you will never be able to convince anyone to buy anything if you are not enjoying your business in the process.
Defining wealth for yourself will prepare you to meet obstacles head on. No business is without obstacles. Knowing what you are willing to endure to achieve gain will give you strength to overcome the barriers, and will prepare your stakeholders to support you in the process.
Wealth is about so much more than making money. True wealth is not about having a lot of things, but needing fewer things to be happy. It is living a life that is aligned with your values. It is having a sense of purpose in your daily work. It is valuing and enjoying what you have and using those things and your skill set to their full potential to make a difference in the world. Wealth is making many friends along the way. (Pity the entrepreneur who only makes money.) True wealth is true contentment, because it is not what you have, but richly enjoying what you have.
If you do not define wealth for yourself, or define your boundaries to achieve it, small business will define these things for you, and take you where you do not want to go. Money is a means to an end, not the end itself. Whether you consider yourself wealthy or not in the material side of things, it is good to be mindful of the abundance that is all around you each and every day. Before you go to sleep tonight, I challenge you to think of just three good things in your day–– and more if you can. It will help you to sleep peacefully. Do it for a week, and you will be downright happy.
You may conclude, as I often do, that you are really really rich after all.
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Why do we at etc!graphics inc, a graphic design company, care about your business strategies? Because no matter how beautiful your graphics, they will never make more sense than the clarity of your own vision. The clearer your vision, the more lucid your marketing will be, and the better connection you will make with your target customer. We want to help you find the gold in your business. Join us all this month as we share ways to help your small business sustain and grow in a crowded marketplace. Etc!Graphics is devoted to helping you, the small business owner, think like a marketer.
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