| Much is spoken and written about wealth. Many of us | | | | appreciate us for who we are, the ability to enjoy |
| dream about having a life style supported by | | | | the autumn colours and the sounds of crunching |
| unlimited funds, indeed this is the basis for lotteries | | | | leaves as you walk through a woodland floor in |
| run world wide. | | | | Autumn, time to stop and take in the beauty of the |
| There is a paradox to in the research which has been | | | | world, time to notice another person's need and do |
| done looking at the levels of happiness and | | | | something about it. |
| satisfaction of those who have earned or won large | | | | The first step to creating a different perspective and |
| sums of money. Money it seems, fails to buy a sense | | | | identifying different choices is by thinking about your |
| of fulfilment and contentment for a high proportion | | | | personal definition of what wealth is for you. What is |
| of those who attain their dream of being rich. | | | | it that is really important to you? There is a need to |
| Is it the dream of having money which is flawed or | | | | be financially secure to be able to provide food, a |
| our definition of wealth? | | | | home and the necessities of life but beyond that, |
| How do you define wealth? What needs to be in | | | | what is it which gives you the sense of being truly |
| place for you to feel truly wealthy? Is it a question | | | | wealthy? |
| of bank balance or is it something more? | | | | A fisherman lived on a tropical island. He fished for his |
| One of my clients described their life: "I feel like a | | | | family and had plenty of time to play with his |
| hamster trapped in a wheel, going round and round in | | | | children, to enjoy the beauty around him and to be a |
| an endless cycle of trying to hit deadlines, please | | | | good neighbour. A yacht arrived carrying a wealthy |
| other people and as soon as I complete something it | | | | entrepreneur. The fisherman took him out for a days |
| is replaced by half a dozen others." How many of | | | | fishing. As the day went on the entrepreneur looked |
| you feel the same? | | | | at the beautiful island with its silver sand fringed with |
| Many of my clients are trapped in an ongoing cycle | | | | palm trees, the azure blue sea filled with a rainbow of |
| of working very long hours. As a result they create | | | | darting fish and saw the opportunity for development |
| financial wealth that they have neither the time, nor | | | | and making lots of money. He was a generous man |
| energy to enjoy. When they do manage to snatch a | | | | so thought he'd help the fisherman by offering him |
| break from the daily grind they often become ill as | | | | the idea. |
| soon as they stop, recovering just in time to return | | | | "Why don't you build a hotel and encourage tourists |
| to work. They choose exotic holiday destinations as | | | | to come to the island. If fact build a holiday village |
| a reward for working so hard but are so exhausted | | | | with a sports complex so people can come and relax. |
| they spend their fortnight sleeping or in a frantic | | | | It could be so successful that you could build an air |
| attempt to fit enough 'living' into a fortnight to keep | | | | strip so you can offer the whole package to the |
| them going until the next holiday. | | | | tourists so you can cut out the middle man and |
| You may relate to their situation and feel as they did | | | | make even greater profits." |
| - that there is little alternative. The actual sense of | | | | "Why would I want to do that?" asked the |
| feeling trapped often adds the sense of being | | | | fisherman. |
| overwhelmed and that things are out of their control. | | | | "You would make lots of money and be rich of |
| So long as you believe there is no alternative that will | | | | course!" replied the entrepreneur. |
| indeed be the case. | | | | "How long would it take?" said the fisherman? |
| Each of us will have a different definition. How you | | | | "Oh I would think it would take ten years to be really |
| define wealth will impact on the range of choices you | | | | successful" answered the entrepreneur. |
| allow yourself. | | | | "What would I do with all that money?" enquired the |
| For some wealth is having a surplus of money, | | | | fisherman. |
| enough to buy what I want, to wear designer | | | | "You could go on exotic holidays to a beautiful island |
| clothes, have a big house full of antique furniture and | | | | where you could fish, play with your children and |
| a top of the range car. | | | | take the time to enjoy the beauty all around you" |
| For others it is about so much more: the quality of | | | | replied the entrepreneur. |
| life, of rich and loving relationships with people who | | | | |