In this life, we need to think not only of ourselves, but of others. What we do does affect other people, just as other people’s attitudes, behavior and actions affect us. What is wonderful these days is that the individual is encouraged to strive for improvement, not just financially, but intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. We have obligations to ourselves to strive to be rounded, successful and happy. This obligation, I believe, is to ensure that we make the most of our opportunities and situations so that we can give back to those close to us, those who have supported us and also to our communities. Our communities, families, professions, towns and countries are all organs that are the consequence of the individuals and organizations that participate in their development. Our own self development is part of the development of our environment, our culture, and our children’s futures. Therefore, if we see our future, and our vision of what we want to achieve, we need to examine not
only the value of those goals and their effects on others, but we also need to consider others in our development path, and our actions in the short and medium term. So if making money is your long term goal, there is nothing wrong with that at all. Money can do wonderful things. However, how we make money, and how we use it, and how we perceive ourselves, regardless of the amount of money we have – all these things are important. If, in the process of making money, you don’t take any care of the consequences of your actions on other people, you can’t expect to be treated well by others on their way up the wealth ladder. And as we all know, its best to be civil and respectful to those we meet on the way up – just in case we meet them on the way down! What it all comes down to is that money is not everything. If striving to achieve great wealth is the most important thing, it can appear at times to be more important than our families, our neighbors, our friends and our colleagues. But you can’t take it with you, and wealth doesn’t bring respect – but how you achieve it and what you do with it does. Self respect and respect for others is the mainstay of being happy and contented, and is going to be influential in determining our progress and success in life.
