Contentment makes poor men rich; discontentment makes rich men poor.
—Benjamin Franklin
Again, wise words from a wise man.
Is there an easy path to riches? No. But there is an easy path to wealth. Contentment. Real wealth is not wrapped up in things, rather it’s wrapped up in how you view yourself and your situation.
A Native American grandfather was talking to his grandson. He said, “I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my heart. One wolf is the vengeful, angry, discontented one. The other wolf is the loving, compassionate, happy and contented one.” The grandson asked him, “Which wolf will win the fight in your heart?” The grandfather answered: “The one I feed.”
I choose to feed contentment. Contentment doesn’t mean you lie down, roll over, and whatever happens, happens. What contentment means to me is an end to the doubt that I’m coming up short, that I don’t measure up, that I have to compare myself to the homes, cars, riches, and things owned by others.
It doesn’t mean I live in a dump, eat crummy food, and drive a bucket-o-bolts. It means I get to live life on my own terms, whatever terms I choose, not the Joneses. Contentment means I’m the one who decides how much money is enough, not some financial adviser who’s driving a BMW, living in a McMansion financed with an interest only mortgage and is in debt up to his eyeballs.
Is there a path to “Easy Money?” No, but the path to a wealthy mindset begins with contentment, a deep seated peaceful contentment. That’s what I’m talking about.
[tags]content, contentment, terms, riches, path, money, easy[/tags]
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I love this message. Contentment was really the key to my own financial turnaround. It wasn’t until I stopped coveting STUFF that I finally started to make a dent in my debts, and stop the wild spending.
Ron – I love the grandfather story! I can certainly relate to having the two wolves in my heart. It is often hard to choose contentment, but that’s exactly what it is, a choice. I need to spend some time contemplating this one!
You have really made me think about my situation. I am working hard to pay off my mortgage and as a result the family are cutting back on lots of things. sometimes I feel jealous and wish I had a nicer house, clothes etc but overall I am happy, no money can buy the loving family that I have and I also love the smug feeling I get every time I pay off a chunk of mortgage!
Thanks FD,
Contentment seems to be one of the hardest things to learn.
I don’t own much “stuff”. When people walk into my home they see a very minimalist uncluttered space. I often get asked how I can live with so few things. What people don’t realize is my life is very full (and so is my bank account).
Great post, Ron. Kind of frustrating when you realize that we live in an economy that rises or falls on its ability to make you and me DIScontent and want or buy more stuff.
To follow up your statement that contentment doesn’t mean lying down and rolling over, consider this quote from John Eldridge: “Contentment is not freedom FROM desire, but freedom OF desire. Being content is not pretending that everything is the way you wish it would be; it is not acting as though you have no wishes. Rather, it is no longer being ruled by your desires.”
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