It happened again—an email landed in my inbox guaranteeing me another sure-fire way to make millions. There are, it appears, a lot of people interested in my balance sheet and my financial position—total strangers, concerned about my wealth. Imagine that.
But had any of them read my prior post, they’d have realized they’re wasting their time. The reason, you see, is that, while there is a pervasive belief that life would be so much better with so much more money, I happen to be in a minority position that believes it’s not about the money. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying I don’t need money, or money’s evil, or anything like that.
What I am suggesting, though, is when we discuss money, what we’re really revealing is our attitude, and our perceptions, about money. That premise of mine, by the way, gets challenged. A lot.
Imagine my surprise, then, when I found this on telegraph.co.uk “A brain scan study has shown that no matter how wealthy you are, money is most rewarding if you have relatively poor friends, peers and colleagues.”
The Telegraph’s article describes a scientific experiment that used scanners to measure the part of the brain where a person’s “reward centre” is located. In their study, scientists discovered that when a participant won money, it triggered a noticeable increase in their reward centre. What was surprising, though, is those same participants registered an even more marked increase in their reward centre when they got more money than anyone else.
All of which, I believe, reinforces the suggestion that it’s not about money, it’s about being richer.
And so, with that in mind, here’s my unscientific list that identifies…..
5 ways to know you’re rich:
1) Do you earn at least $25,400 per year? Based on statistics from the World Bank, 90% of the world’s population would agree that you’re rich. If you earn more than $33,700 you’re in the top 5% of the world’s income earners.
2) Own a computer? If you do, you’re rich. Almost 91% of the population can’t afford one
3) Own a TV? 75% of the world doesn’t. Televisions, I guess, are the trappings of the rich.
4) Made a phone call recently? Did you know there are about 2 billion people who have never used a phone, ever? Want to feel rich? Just pick up and dial.
5) Own a car? You, my friend, are rich. 90% of the world’s population can’t afford that privilege
You see? It really isn’t about the money.
