Knowing that money is a means, not an end, is the key to building true wealth. People who place less priority on having more tend to be happier than those who are extremely materialistic. Pursuing wealth for its own sake, will have the reverse effects on ones personal happiness.
In the end, living a rich and happy life depends more on how much you actually do, what you stand for, and, if you reach your full potential than it does on what you own. Herein lays the balance between ‘net worth’ and ones ‘self-worth’ and understanding how much you can truly be.
The un-purposeful and un-examined pursuit of wealth can cause depression, anxiety and stress. This in turn can create more self imposed pressure, believing that more money will fix the problem. We believe the formula for obtaining wealth is not only though long term, reliable investments, but though the positive effects of developing and maintaining rewarding social contacts, and though the contributions of giving back to others and society.
We believe that people who give to other people tend to have better personal and professional relationships, higher job performance and satisfaction, better follow though, the ability to make creative decisions, and to be less lonely. All of which will contribute to greater, more responsible income and wealth.
People become happier as they age. As time goes by the brain becomes better emotionally equipped, developing the ability to recover from bad moods quicker, allowing good moods to last longer and dealing more adeptly with life’s constant up’s and downs.
Neuroscientists believe that this ability is due to the counteraction of the reflective response of the amygdale, the part of the brain which regulates fear, with the reflective powers of the prefrontal anterior cortex, the part of the brain which creates focus, perceives pain and detects errors. Thus, as a person grows older, the more analytical parts of the brain mature to counter the negative feelings and emotions of a younger one.
Thus learning proper money management skills and getting a head start in building wealth at an early age is more important than ever. As children mature they will derive more long term enjoyment from their wealth later on as fully formed adults. They will also know, as they never could have in their youth, how best to use their wealth not only to add meaning and fulfillment to their lives, but to the lives of others as well.
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"Save and teach all that you are interested in, thus pave the way for moral and material success"
-Thomas Jefferson
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