Money, It’s (not) a gas!!
Contrary to the Pink Floyd number (Money!!!/ Dark Side of the Moon), I have started to believe, that money really matters. Money is indeed the true measure of someone’s professional Success!
I used to think that money is not important and it is just needed as a fuel to carry out a living as food is needed for a life. I used to think that money cannot be the means to judge other person’s professional* success. I used to think that other things like creativity, intelligence, work, profile etc. are more important in determining success. However, some time back this view got challenged. This happened when I started the journey towards finding my life’s purpose. I read number of books, contemplated, read articles, contemplated again and gradually over time, I saw emergence of this new view point… ‘Money (Wealth)’ is the true measure of a person’s professional SUCCESS!
Contrary to the Pink Floyd number (Money!!!/ Dark Side of the Moon), I have started to believe, that money really matters. Money is indeed the true measure of someone’s professional Success!
I used to think that money is not important and it is just needed as a fuel to carry out a living as food is needed for a life. I used to think that money cannot be the means to judge other person’s professional* success. I used to think that other things like creativity, intelligence, work, profile etc. are more important in determining success. However, some time back this view got challenged. This happened when I started the journey towards finding my life’s purpose. I read number of books, contemplated, read articles, contemplated again and gradually over time, I saw emergence of this new view point… ‘Money (Wealth)’ is the true measure of a person’s professional SUCCESS!
Well, I know different viewpoints will start rolling in. So, I shall make the case strong by elaborating my understanding further. “‘Money (Wealth)’ is indeed the true measure of a person’s professional SUCCESS!” provided it is earned as acceptance of payment for legal services rendered. Dictionary definition of money is “Money is anything that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts.” Further, if a person is providing his/her services to someone (a company, society, government, etc.) then he/she is entitled to get money equivalent to the services provided. So, if a person is providing exceptional services then he is paid exceptionally well. Now, here we can map government, business tycoons, employees, workers, etc with kind of services they provide and the kind of money they make.
What if, I like consulting over programming. I like photography more than management jargons. I like creativity over managing people. In some of these choices I might get lower salary than other options, but I would like to go for something which I like doing even if it is for lower salary.
What if, I like consulting over programming. I like photography more than management jargons. I like creativity over managing people. In some of these choices I might get lower salary than other options, but I would like to go for something which I like doing even if it is for lower salary.
Single answer. Doesn’t matter! It doesn’t matter which industry you work in, doesn’t matter what profile you have chosen. You are successful if your services in that field are recognized. And when they are recognized and people or society gets good value out of it, you are paid well. More valuable your services are, more successful you are, and more money you get for such services. So, Money and Wealth are true measures of professional SUCCESS.
And so, I have stopped wondering now, why people and society considers money so important and synonymous to Success! (Society has been here for over hundreds of years and their methods have evolved with time. Not to say, some of them are rust proof!!)
*Here, I am talking in reference to career/professional terms only. I still
believe that Spirituality, Relationships, Values and beliefs are
different and carry different weightage for different people than
money
Hi ,
ReplyDeleteI was thinking on "money as a measure of success". Are these people failures in their lives
1. Person working with a charitable trust..
2. Social Worker
3. A doctor working in the villages to help the poor when he could open a hospital in the city
4. A soldier who fight for the country
5. An Activist conducting social awareness plays on the road.
6. Mother Teresa
The same society which respects money so much also considers the above mentioned ( and limited to 6 bcos of my lack of knowledge ) professionals as the pillars of a strong society.
The moment we start keeping money as the primary measure of success, we will change the societal laws such that they favour money making .... illlegal will start becoming legal.
I still feel money should be though of as a bi product. A "Can Be" not a " Must Be".
Nice thoughts Samartha,
ReplyDeleteI understand and acknowledge that there are cases/situations where money is not The important thing. Success, in itself is a very subjective term. There are many people for whom success means something more than money. Even success of relationships can not be measured by money, and so are different things like spirituality, humanity, satisfaction etc.
In this writeup, I wanted to put forward a thought in context of professional services alone, where money is the only motivation for services being rendered.
For services being rendered to address other (higher) motivations, I agree, money is a 'can be' and not a 'must be' measure of success.