WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH RICHES?
Before starting this chapter, I asked this same question of many men and women in all
walks of life. The variety of answers was as different as the people questioned.
A mechanic said: "I would give up my job, sell my house, then do nothing but travel for
the next several years."
Do you think he would be happy? I doubt it.
I knew a man who retired from the presidency of a large corporation. He sold his home
and intended to spend much of his life traveling. He became so bored with this
existence that he returned to his former city, bought a new home and established
another business.
An office manager unhesitatingly answered the question thus: "I would buy this
business and become my own boss." One does not have to be a psychoanalyst to
learn much about this man from this simple answer alone. It is likely that this man is
"bossed" too much, which makes him want to own the business so that he can do the
bossing.
No man in business is ever his own boss. He has as many bosses as he has
customers. He must give satisfaction or his customers will begin bossing him.
Perhaps this office manager is having financial difficulties and feels it would be great to
head a company and have each mail bring him huge checks. But what this man and
others seldom think about is that an executive's salary is just as dependent as the
office manager's on the amount of money that comes into a large company.
Do not misunderstand me. It's great to head a business of your own; but you must
grow into it.
A housewife was asked what she would do with riches. I liked her answer.
"I have so many friends and relatives who are not enjoying the best things in life. I
would like to take them, one at a time, and do things to make them happy. One I might
take to a fine store and outfit her from head to toe with good clothes. Another I would
take on an all-expense-paid trip. Still another has a good head for business, and I'd
like to help him to develop a small business."
The things she would do for others made a long and unselfish list. There was an
expression of great sincerity on her face as she described what she would do with
riches. She proved that she knew the truth of the statement that happiness comes
from giving happiness.
A boy in his late teens was asked the same magic question: "What would you do if you
had riches?"
"Aw, gee, mister, I don't know. I think, first of all, I would get Dad the motor boat he has
always wanted. I would get Mom all the modern things for her kitchen and laundry so
she wouldn't have to work so hard. And for me, I would go to one of the big colleges
and study electronics."
Doesn't a statement like that make you wish you could give this lad riches right now so
that he could put them to work in such a wonderful way?
An uncultured, uneducated man was asked what he would do with riches.
"What do I want with riches?" he blurted. "Shavin' and dressin' up for meals, and mixin'
with the snobs and high-hats is not for me. I'm satisfied just as I am."
To men like him this book offers little help. They would read it fearing that some of the
suggestions might rub off on them and cause them to change from their present
relaxed mode of living.
