Prosperity or
money, which would you choose?
Money, that’s what I want!
The title of
the famous song above was written by Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford in 1959, first
performed by Barrett Strong (*named misspelled on album to the left, song possibly co-written by Strong, see mention at end
of post*). The catchy tune was later performed by The Beatles, The Rolling
Stones, The Kingsmen, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Jerry
Lee Lewis, Cheap Trick, Johnny Lee Hooker, The Flying Lizards, Bruno Mars,
David Gray and a multitude of other bands.
What makes
this song so popular with artists that don’t need to play covers? One reason is
because the lyrics speak to a great paradox that perplexes people when they
think about what they really want. Here are some of the lyrics from the original
performer, Barrett Strong:
The best things in life are free
But you can give them to the birds and bees
I need money
That’s what I want
Your love gives me such a thrill
But your love don’t pay my bills
I need money
That’s what I want
Let’s get
this straight—the best things in life, even thrilling love, are free—but
the singer would rather have money? Some might say the words are meant partly in jest but based on the song's popularity, especially as a cover for other bands, there appears to be genuine intent behind the lyrics. The brash statements fly in the face of philosophical
teachings from religions around the world like this below, which is one of my
favorites:
- Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. - Lao Tzu (Taoism)
This also
gets into the difference between charity and empowerment. Giving a man a fish
is like giving him money for one meal. Teaching him to fish is giving him a
chance at prosperity and eating well for life.
For some
reason, most people are hooked on the thought that they need more money. What’s the cause? Is it a fear of poverty, or keeping up
with the Joneses, or buying
into a common belief that success equals extravagance? It’s easy to fall into
those mindsets; people want money and lots of it in order to feel secure and
live a carefree lifestyle with plenty of toys. But do you really think that’s the way
it works—that simply having money will solve your problems? Of course it
doesn’t work that way.
Simply wanting or needing more money will not help it materialize. It's like putting the cart before the horse. Taking care of the business that is
before you in the present time is your work in life, whatever that might be.
That business before you now is the metaphorical horse; the rewards that follow
are the cart. Those rewards may include satisfaction, higher self-value,
recognition from others, increased opportunities and also more money. This is
how prosperity works, by doing what you do well and continuing from there.
Let’s step
back to money for a moment. Think of the main ways you could acquire large
amounts of money:
- receive it as a gift
- get inheritance from a relative’s death
- win a lottery or prize drawing
- steal it from another (please don’t)
- be awarded money in court
- earn it through your own actions
Notice how
the final one on the list, earn it
through your own actions, is the one that would bring by far the most
personal pride while also creating opportunity for more money in the future.
Even though good things can come with money no matter how it’s acquired, earning
it would make you the happiest and be in your best interest.
Prosperity is
closely related to life purpose.
Prosperity comes from doing everything you do as well as you can. It transforms
from actions into accomplishment, recognition, expansion, opportunity and also accumulation
of wealth. With prosperity, there is an element of:
- goodness, benefits and well-being
- personal growth
- improvement and victory
- rewards on many levels
- increased opportunities in the future
If you watch
interviews with athletes who win major competitions, they never say “I just
focused on having that trophy.” They say they focused on performing well in all
aspects of their game. In the same way an award-winning actress doesn’t solely practice giving an award speech someday; she practices reading her lines and
playing the role as well as she can. The trophy and award’s speech are akin to
money; they are by-products of doing
other things well.
This is what
prosperity is about, taking positive actions in the here and now. It’s a state
of mind and a state of physical being. Prosperity is about your unique work and responsibilities, your destiny, personal growth
and expansion.
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| https://flic.kr/p/2qf1i |
There’s no
need to focus on money. In fact, it may be a hindrance if you solely think about
money and your perceived lack of it. Instead, if you concentrate on prosperity (achievement, growth, benefit) and do
your present work well, the money should come as a result.
How can you
attract more prosperity? To begin, limit any negatives in your
thoughts or speech that have to do with needing
money, which is a lack mentality. Have faith that your needs will be met even if it’s not in the way
your ego would ask for it, like a million dollars materializing in your lap.
Next, think and speak about the role prosperity can play in your life. Here are
some thoughts that will spur your creative juices for more prosperity:
It’s
interesting how many songs exist about money. These are just a few: Money For
Nothing (Dire Straits), Money (Pink Floyd), Take the Money and Run (Steve
Miller Band), Money, Money (Liza Minelli), Moneytalks (ACDC), For the Love of
Money (The O’Jays) and The Big Money (Rush).
How many
songs are there about prosperity? Clearly not enough.
*The first singer
of the famous song, Money (That’s What I Want), was Barrett Strong. In an
ironic twist of fate that resembles self-fulfilling prophesy, Strong’s name was
removed from the original song-writing credits denying him a share of royalties
from a hit that would have made him wealthy. Read more about it in this NY Times article.
--
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