Almost everyone wants to be wealthy. Almost everyone wants to be in a position which will enable them to purchase what their hearts desires. One cannot deny the importance of money in the world today. Even churches understand that they need money to operate. To expand their buildings, to keep the water running and workers paid. But somehow, it is said that money is a by-product of one’s purpose. Money is merely a lubricant to smooth the gears that enable one to achieve what they desire. But if it’s a by-product, why does it seem as if it is the main product on the shelf?
The more one listens to really wealthy people, one learns that almost all of them it was never about the money. Warren Buffet once said that for him, the money is a way of keeping score of his successes. What he loves is trading and not gaining the money. Steve Jobs said that for him, the idea of having a PC in every home was the goal and the money simply followed. Even most artists go under a similar philosophy. Most rappers will tell you that their music was the only way to escape the harsh realities of their neighbourhoods. The money simply followed. In most cases, the ones who follow their hearts are the ones that become successful and the money paints their success for them. It goes with the saying that one should seek the kingdom and all these things shall be added onto you. The Biblical interpretation of these things are clothes, food and all you need for the road to finding your kingdom.
Those that follow money instead of their hearts, these people usually become the ones who devise scams that rob people of their wealth. The creation of get rich quick scam is the product of someone who wants money quickly. Because it goes without a doubt that those that follow their hearts, their success takes longer to materialise and therefore it takes longer for them to gain any real wealth. It’s interesting to note someone as influential and popular today as Kevin Hart has been working hard on his skills and appearing in cameos in movies such as Scary Movie 3. These people, one thing I have noticed is the fact that they acknowledge the fact they have money, but they respect their money enough to not squander it. They know the trails and tribulations they had to undertake in order for their wealth to materialise. As opposed to the Ponzi scam artists who through the mechanisms of their scams get money somewhat instantly, they are quick to brag about it and make it a point everyone knows that they have money now.
Even though money is a by-product of success, one cannot ignore that success is usually attributed to the financial standing of an individual. Hence it is so easy to confuse the by-product with the main product. Money can easily help one gain more resources. Money isn’t a factor of production but it has the power to acquire factors of production. Money is the beautiful magician that creates elusive illusions that sends people to deep potholes. Money is merely a numbers game. In the sense that one can never have enough money. Therefore, if one’s passion is to acquire as much money as one can, that person will be pursuing a never ending task. Therefore, the likelihood of that person being content with their gains is slim to none. Numbers have no end, the same with money. There is no limit to the number of zeros one can ever wish to attain. Chasing money is like chasing a woman one entrepreneur said. The more you try to impress a woman, the more chances she will reject you. The more you concern yourself how you can make more money, the more you will never have money.
Then how do we then acquire money? Especially for those whose passion and purpose is in the field of academia or any other of those professions in which being a millionaire is a myth? I believe that we first have to change our idea of money. That money is not the end product. Yes, it is a by-product that we need to use to acquire those factors of production that will make us more productive. Its simple logic that the more productive one is, the more chances that person will reap economical benefits. I believe this is the case with world famous rappers like Tupac. Tupac by the age of 25 had accomplished more accolades than most artists who live to see 40. It is documented that Tupac’s work ethic was very disciplined and he put in a lot of work into his art. This extreme passion in him lead him to be immensely productive and the economical benefits that flowed is evident within the life he enjoyed. Therefore, productivity is the key to produce those economical benefits we desire and money being one of them.
The moment we begin to pursue the light that shines within, this is what will make us continue to be productive. And this pursuit is what will make us enjoy the journey. Money is the destination and by focusing so much on the destination, it is easy for one to get lost along the path. The glimmer of the light at the end of the tunnel will be burning brightly but because we fail to see the light that guides our feet, it will be easy for one to fall into a ditch and into bottomless pits of life. This is why people fall victim to these scams so easily. They merely looking at the money and not the requirements or the how tos as how the money will be generated. Those that follow their hearts are in a position in which they do see the money glistening-light at the end of the tunnel, but they not fooled by it. The light of their passion burns brightly from within and shines closely, this light warns them of near and far obstacles and traps; it will also expose the treasures hidden in the darkness around them. By this when they reach the end of the tunnel, they realise that the money-light wasn’t even as bright as they thought. They are not obsessed about making money but rather, they are obsessed about the idea that one day their own light to transcend into being a star and guide the ones that will come after.
The idea of being wealthy and affording luxury cars and fine clothing is one that motivates any young person. But this idea is also one that sees many young people become victims of countless senseless crimes. This idea swallows young people into a world of fakeness and these young people’s identities shortly die. They literally lose themselves in pursuit of gaining money. This I believe is way one finds well minded young ladies being concubines to really powerful men. In most cases these young ladies are extremely intelligent and they are well informed but settle to be a side piece to a powerful man because the man is in a position to buy all her heart’s desire. Even some men share these stories of being side dishes to powerful women simply because the lifestyle that the powerful woman can give him. This illusion of success that is painted with only money as the end product is one that sees many people losing focus, losing their purpose and eventually losing their souls to the world.
But the fact remains no wants to live in poverty. No one wants to be in position where their needs cannot be met. Especially those that money can easily meet. Money is a very powerful force of motivation in today’s society and I believe even in the old. The man with more cows was more respected in the village. The bravest warrior was more respected than the one who comes home always defeated. If we look at someone as powerful as King Shaka, we learn that he was never meant for the throne. But his sheer virility and warrior skills made him an extremely powerful force to reckon with. This attribute made him King. We do not know what motivated him to take the throne and that’s not the point for me in bringing him up. The point I want to bring up about King Shaka is that he realised what he was good at, honed that ability, became the best at it and that made him a King. Even modern warriors such as Bruce Lee. He may be known as an actor but his love and passion for martial arts is what made him successful. He learnt martial arts, honed his own abilities and perfected his own style and become one of the youngest Masters of all time. Even though he wasn’t extremely wealthy, he was living better than average.
It is true that the rabbit hole does go deeper in seeking to understand the relationship between pursuing one’s purpose and the money that follows from it. Because we can take someone like Kevin Hart and say that he is funny but if he didn’t have a team around him that helped him obtain gigs and so forth, he would still be unknown. We can look at someone such as Kendrick Lamar and say he is a very influential rapper but if it wasn’t for TDE, he would still be rapping within Compton and be an unknown jewel to the rest of the world. Some women using their natural beauty to make wealth on platforms such as Instagram. If these platforms didn’t exist, these women would have had to look at other areas to use their beauty as a platform to create wealth. So it seems that even in pursuing one’s purpose, their certain skillsets that one has to learn in order to reap the rewards of their purpose. But even so, the powerful invisible forces that work around us are at work too. Some call it The Universe, others The Law of Attraction and others call it Grace. This force split the Red Sea into two. It’s interesting to note that Moses was led to the Red Sea and at that moment he just had to believe that a way will open for him and his people. If Moses had doubted in his purpose to lead the people to the promise land, at the moment I believe he would have given up and looked to negotiate a way out with the Pharaoh then believe in his own fire within.
Pursuing one’s purpose is not an easy task. Because in pursuing one’s own purpose, this requires one to have immense faith in their own ability to be in position that their purpose will emancipate them from the poverty and strife of the modern world. The ability to believe in one’s purpose as his own chosen path is almost godly like. This is what one non believer once told me. He said that the fact that Christ didn’t want to go to the Cross but believed that it was His purpose to do so, this is what made Him God. Yes, many Christians will argue that point but the message of what the non-believer was saying is clear. People like Steve Jobs are seen as deities in their respective fields simply because they believed and achieved the impossible. Therefore, one can say that the impossible can only be achieved by faith within self. The removal of a mountain can be done by the smallest of faith. To summon that minute volume of faith isn’t easy. Hence when summoned, even as small as a mustard seed, it will remove mountains and dump them into the sea.
Through this immense feat of believing in oneself and fulfilling one’s purpose. The by-products that come along will reward you. The money, fame and honour will then be graced on your feet. Therefore, the idea that money was an end product no longer hold any water because one sees that something as common as money cannot have so much power to achieve the impossible. It can never have the power to fuel your purpose that will make you a legend. As complex as this idea is, the fact remains that when one is productive in their efforts to actualise their God given purpose, doors will open and flood gates will pour rewards and treasures you rightfully need and desire. Money will lose its appeal because you will be in a position higher than money. For us who still see money as a fuel of motivation, eventually we will reach that level. That level where we will begin to understand what is meant when they say ‘not everything that shines is gold’. That the love of money is the root of evil and indeed money cannot buy happiness.
I believe it is this understanding that led leaders such as Jesus to the Cross. That led Bruce Lee to be the greatest martial artist of our time. These extraordinary men clearly understood that an ordinary commodity such as money in no way possible carried with it the power to make one live out their purpose. No way possible money has the power to achieve the impossible. That money as illusively desirably as it is, no way possible does it have the power to spilt the Red Sea so we can be in the Promise Land. This is a task for something that burns from within. Something that gives us the right to be called God’s children. Something that reflects the Image of our Maker. That something within us is the Kingdom we seek. This is our purpose. It is purpose that makes us successful, not money. Purpose that generates wealth, not money. It is purpose that make us immortal- not the mortal creation of a commodity like money. The moment we steer away from the false light at the end of the tunnel and look more inward within us, only then will we be rich.