Wealth of Character and Wealth of Objects

Nice car, nice house/apartment, fancy clothing, and a good job. It all looks great doesn't it? Most people would assume this person has everything they need. We judge people within a few seconds of meeting them and then carry this assumption throughout our relationships only changing after many alternative impressions are created. Does this outward appearance tell the whole story?

Certainly it takes money and some success to buy lots of great and expensive things that help us look good. There is inherently nothing wrong will putting our best foot forward. At times this is one of the best ways to land a job, partner, or respect. However, there can be something dysfunctional when it consumes our life.

Thinking logically and thinking emotionally are two different things. There are people in the world that judge everything by its outward impressions. This means they lack the substance and insight to realize that every person has inherent value.  They must understand that worldly possessions and skill and character quality are different.

Their emotions are telling them that if they don't look good they are not valuable. With billions of people to compete against they want to stand out.

Let me give you an example. I have a boat, something that needs some work, that is docked in Point Loma. Mine doesn't show much status at all. However, in the same marina are large yachts that are worth over a million dollars a piece. Something anyone would be impressed with. I love to watch them use their thrusters to smoothly get in and out of their slips.

How do these multi-millionaires dress? They look like bums! T-shirts, cut off jeans, messed up hair, unshaven and walking around in flip flops. If you saw them at the local grocery story you might consider them homeless. Yet they are CEO's, investors, businessmen, and own large companies. Most are so wealthy they will never work again.

High income and high spending could still mean you have a negative balance sheet. Some people are savers and don't spend money on things they don't enjoy. For most of us it is best to be in the middle somewhere by looking descent and saving appropriately. Having money and showing money are two different things. Sometimes it is better to work on your wealth of character than the wealth of your possessions.