What comes to mind when you hear of someone living a rich life?
a) S/he is wealthy and has abundant assets
b) S/he can afford to do what s/he enjoys
c) His/her life is filled with amazing and interesting experiences
d) S/he makes a positive difference and is an inspiration to others
e) S/he is contented and free, beyond happy
f) All of the above
How about All of the above and minus (a)?
Is it possible to progress along (b), (c), (d), (e) if we don’t have a minimum requirement of wealth?
This seems unlikely if your belief is that success comes from accumulating wealth and assets, which then enable you to live the life you want, have enviable hobbies and truly make a difference. Many of us like a good story of the rich and famous donating to charities/NGOs and backing different causes from saving animals, to providing healthcare in rural communities, to protecting the environment etc. Someone successful in life at 33 who suddenly decides to give up his career to volunteer in a third world country sounds more admirable than a high school dropout at 17 years of age who decides to do the same.
What if we shift our perspective? Let’s not look at what was given up but rather what was created. Is affordability not equally about effort and time versus purchasing power? A positive impact is positive regardless of where it originates from. Similarly, if you have something to offer, no one should be judging if what you’re offering is better or worse than that of another. You really only need to inspire yourself and decide how to stay contented, free and beyond happy.
And you can create your own thoughts and reality around your rich life.
As inspiration, look at Jose Mujica, a very rich person in my books, despite how he is referred to by the international media as the “Poorest President in the World” (a term he dislikes). This is due to his austere lifestyle and his donation of around 90 percent of his $12,000 monthly salary to charities that benefit poor people and small entrepreneurs.
Source: Film project “Human” by Yann Arthus-Bertrand
José Mujica, nicknamed Pepe Mujica, was President of Uruguay from 2010 to 2015. A former Tupamaros freedom fighter in the 60s and the 70s, he was detained, like a hostage by the dictatorship between 1973 and 1985. He advocates a philosophy of life focused on sobriety: learn to live with what is necessary and fairest.