How to Get Rich

watch original V-Blog in Persian

There's a book you can buy in German, which promises you the secrets of becoming rich. It costs about 700 Euro and offers you a timeless money-back guarantee if you don't, indeed, get rich after giving it 3 months to do its magic. Okay, so it sounds like one of those many formulaic books that have come out on the market. And each of them contains some amazing advice, but I have to say that this book is the culmination of 20 years of research on the part of a man who has compiled not only the aggregate wisdom contained in most other books, but also personal stories from people like Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates.

You're not sold yet? I heard the author talk and it was his interview that convinced me he knows what he's talking about. The first common denominator he used for persons who amass great amounts of wealth was service. He said if you think of Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey, they have been serving large masses of people. Although you might think service is an objective outcome, it's the intention he was talking about. He also said it was important to do something you love and enjoy, not something that is tedious and strenuous. This does not mean that hard work is not an intricate part of building wealth, but that you must enjoy that hard work. You must find the thing you love to stay up for ; if you're ever going to reach superlatives.

The next related common denominator was believing in the product your selling. This could be a vitamin pill, a house, a religion, a cough remedy ; whatever it is, people who are convinced of their product will convince you. He said you don't need money yourself when you can get 100 people to buy into your (genuine) enthusiasm and commit to paying you in advance for a product you can then go out and get made with your customer's advance cash. If you don't believe in the product and it sucks, this method will only cause mistrust and ultimately lead to failure, maybe even debt. So a genuine belief that your product can 'serve' is paramount.

His next point was keeping the goal always in mind. When you have the goal in mind, you can fail, stumble and fall, but eventually you'll get there, because you don't lose sight of your destination. But most importantly, he said, this goal must be externally oriented. In other words it must be you trying to achieve something positive for others: Be it making the best computers for people, providing hope and advice as a talk show guru, building the best shoes in the world, or whatever making them laugh.

Likewise he advises aspiring magnates not to dwell on the past. When you're a runner on a race track you don't look back when you're running forward. Although some of your past experiences might be great lessons, most of the negative ones tend to hold you back and wear you down, so stay focused on the future.

Now I didn't buy the book. My goal is not to be super rich as such and I didn't feel like spending 700 Euro. But what I heard from the author, who came across as a very intelligent man, was very valuable to me in itself. And I have an inkling that the book would probably teach you to rethink making 'wealth' per se your goal anyway. Wealth or fame in themselves are not a goal, but means to serve more. Likewise, what I gathered from the gentleman's interview was that money is a by-product, a culmination and fruition of an effort or passion to serve and excel. Ideally it's not the money that's driving you but the thing that you love doing so much. That's what gets you the wealth.

Wealth can mean many things, including spiritual abundance. But material abundance can be a manifestation of it. As long as you don't let your possessions possess you, wealth can be a blessing:

O YE THAT PRIDE YOURSELVES ON MORTAL RICHES! Know ye in truth that wealth is a mighty barrier between the seeker and his desire, the lover and his beloved. The rich, but for a few, shall in no wise attain the court of His presence nor enter the city of content and resignation. Well is it then with him, who, being rich, is not hindered by his riches from the eternal kingdom, nor deprived by them of imperishable dominion. By the Most Great Name! The splendor of such a wealthy man shall illuminate the dwellers of heaven even as the sun enlightens the people of the earth!

SON OF SPIRIT! I created thee rich, why dost thou bring thyself down to poverty? Noble I made thee, wherewith dost thou abase thyself? Out of the essence of knowledge I gave thee being, why seekest thou enlightenment from anyone beside Me? Out of the clay of love I molded thee, how dost thou busy thyself with another? Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting.

SON OF MAN! Thou dost wish for gold and I desire thy freedom from it. Thou thinkest thyself rich in its possession, and I recognize thy wealth in thy sanctity therefrom. By My life! This is My knowledge, and that is thy fancy; how can My way accord with thine?

CHILDREN OF DUST! Tell the rich of the midnight sighing of the poor, lest heedlessness lead them into the path of destruction, and deprive them of the Tree of Wealth. To give and to be generous are attributes of Mine; well is it with him that adorneth himself with My virtues.

YE RICH ONES ON EARTH! The poor in your midst are My trust; guard ye My trust, and be not intent only on your own ease.