The cultural wisdom is that everything can be measured with money.\u00a0 Your time is worth what you’re able to have someone pay you.\u00a0 All your goods and possessions are measured by their market value.<\/p>\n
And your value to the world is based on how well-off your family is, and what you can leave your heirs when you die.<\/p>\n
If you think about it, though, money is an entirely artificial construct.\u00a0 It was invented several thousand years ago as a substitute for the things that really mattered, like a horse or a chicken or someone to harvest your field.<\/p>\n
But money has never been able to measure the things that really matter.\u00a0 Your loving relationships.\u00a0 Being satisfied with your place in life.\u00a0 Making a difference in the world.<\/p>\n
If you measured everything with money, you’d figure out how to get by with two hours of sleep a night.\u00a0 OK, I hear you saying, but you won’t be productive (making money) at work without sleep.\u00a0 OK, then why would you bother taking more than ten minutes to have a meal?<\/p>\n
Could it be that your family and enjoyment are important too?\u00a0 You’ll actually SPEND money for those?<\/p>\n
Here’s the exercise for today:\u00a0 Imagine yourself as never worried about money again.\u00a0 You’re rich beyond your wildest dreams, but I’m not going to let you go out and try to buy your happiness.\u00a0 No expensive villas, no fancy cars, no jewels.\u00a0 Instead, I’ll give you a decent amount of money to live on – perhaps quite similar to what you have now – and the rest you can only spend if it makes others’ lives better.<\/p>\n
Where would you choose to spend your money and your time?<\/p>\n
Bill Gates is the richest person on the planet, and he has a house that’s huge and has all the technology that could be imagined a decade ago.\u00a0 But you know what he’s doing with his money?\u00a0 He’s eradicating disease and starvation around the planet.<\/p>\n
More important than the money, that’s where he’s spending all his time.\u00a0 Doing what he can to make a difference.<\/p>\n
If you had your choice, what would you do which would be worthwhile?<\/p>\n
And what’s keeping you from getting started today?\u00a0 Be honest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"