Something’s Broken

A lot of people, and from time to time myself included, think that “if I had more money in the bank, I would feel better…happier, more content“.

If you’re net worth twice was much as it is right now, would that be enough for you to feel comfortable? Happy? Content?

Most people will say no.

And here’s a surprise. Even people who are “rich” say no.

I read, “Richistan: A Journey Through The American Wealth Boom and The New Rich” by Robert Frank.

Frank defines rich as if it’s a new country, Richistan. The citizens’ net worth of Richistan range from $1– to $10 million in over 7 million households, $10 to –$100 million in over 1.4 million households, and $100 million to $1 billion in thousands of households, plus more than 400 billionaires.

According to Frank, rich people don’t feel much more secure about their position in life than people who aren’t rich.

A study conducted by a wealth management firm, PNC Advisors, discovered that the rich need to almost double their net worth to feel secure. So, $500,000 needs $1 million, $2 million needs $4 million and over $10 million needs close to $20 million.

As I read this, I thought, “What’s broken when $10 million is not enough?” 

We equate money with freedom; the ability to do what we want, when we want, and how we want. We think that more money will give us more of what we really want.

And if we get more of what we want, we’ll be happy.

The problem is that most of us don’t know what we really want. We just think we do.

What our souls long for are things like love, respect, encouragement, friendship, to be needed, valued, to be heard. When these things fill our lives, we’re free; our days are light.

Without these things, we shuffle through life shackled by the load of a longing soul.

Ernest Hemingway once said, “The world breaks everyone, and afterward many are strong at the broken places.” 

But, money is a fragile fix for the “broken places” of our lives.

That’s all I have for now.

Thanks for reading.

PS – If you’re interested in what I do for exercise and training, go here. For my books, go here