Pleasure, Control and Security

These are the things most people really mean when they say they want wealth. We all know that money itself is only useful because of the things it can do.

So, have you ever thought about why you want it and what you want it to do for you?

Money can buy a certain amount of security. The security to know that you'll have enough food and the mortgage will be paid, living in a safer neighborhood and being able to plan for college or retirement are the kinds of security that money can buy. Having enough money can certainly buy you a lot of control in your life; the kind of control that poor folks aren't allowed even in their homes. Imagine being told when you could or couldn't have visitors and how long they can stay, or how many people can sleep in each bedroom, when you can do laundry and how much water you can use.

There are millions of things in the world that cannot be controled. But there are many, many things that can. The amount of money you have determines what they are and how many you get.

And of course, everyone knows the connection between money and pleasure - no explanation required.

It all depends on what you value and care about and what you want. Wealth (more money) is simply a tool that allows you to plan for the future, deal with the unexpected and live the kind of life you want. Once you define those things, you can start building real wealth in a way that's meaningful to you.