“You aren’t wealthy until you have something money can’t buy.” – Garth Brooks

A mistake that is commonly made by a lot of people is not being able to differentiate between being rich and being wealthy and yet the difference is quite vast. Actor and comedian Chris Rock has spoken at length on this subject.

Despite the fact that there is a considerable amount of well-off people out there; only a hand-full of these individuals are actually wealthy by definition. On the one hand being rich means just having money in abundance, while on the other hand being wealthy is defined as having enough money to purchase everything you want today as well as in the future and still have a great deal residual. Being wealthy is not just about being rich in the pocket, but also about being rich in the mind. Wealthy people are those that are considered to be innovators and game changers who influence and have a noteworthy impact on the lives of a lot of people.

   

 So the question is not how to become rich, but how to become wealthy?

I think it is safe to say that it is common knowledge that no-one becomes wealthy miraculously. All wealthy people had to to start somewhere, so in that case it is safe to conclude that everyone who is wealthy started out by being rich at first. One can also assume that a specific occurrence had to take place to enable the progression to be possible. For most people getting rich is the ultimate goal. This could be a result of ones upbringing – when growing up our parents push us to have money, to be rich but never to be wealthy. This could also be because of the lack of knowledge on their side but after reading this article I hope you are enlightened. While money can buy you happiness and all the things you need to be happy, there is something so much greater than just the accumulation of money. Family, health, intelligence and patience all provide wealth of another kind.

I am not saying that there is something wrong with possessing large sums of money. Truth be told, I believe in the power of money but only when it is in the right hands. Money in the wrong hands can lead to a number of problems namely: corruption, people profiting at the expense of others and in most cases at the expense of the poor. What many don’t understand is that money is simply an instrument that society utilizes to either do great things or terrible things. Once one has mastered the key to making money, they can build sustainable wealth, the money that never stops coming.

One example of this would be Patrice Motsepe. Motsepe is an individual that understands how to accumulate money. A true local symbol of wealth. Several other examples of those who have acquired their wealth through knowledge, experiences and innovation would include the likes of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Richardson Brandson.

This has resulted in them valuing knowledge more than money.

The masses have limited knowledge and are less informed of the ways one can obtain wealth so instead they SETTLE for just being rich or simply aspiring to it. To view being rich as a destination would be to sell ourselves drastically short. Wisdom and knowledge can create great wealth for those who desire it. Let us graduate from just wanting to be rich. We have the ability to achieve wealth so let us stop selling ourselves short. Let us start chasing the wealth.

Follow me on twitter: @sane_mhlati