Some People are so Poor, all they have is Money

The quote “Some people are so poor, all they have is money” has been attributed to Patrick Meagher (a Canadian journalist and author), Bob Marley (the famous reggae singer) and others. I cannot confirm who first uttered these insightful words, however, for purposes of today’s blog post, it is the words that matter, not who said it and the attribution. 

When I first read this quote, it reminded me of two blog posts I wrote in 2012, “Are Money and Success the Same Thing” and “Are Money and Success the Same Thing – Part 2”.

In Part 2, I looked at money and success and how they impacted five key aspects of all our lives: family, career, health, spiritualism, and impact on society. My conclusion was that money and success are not one and the same but do impact one another. Meaning in certain circumstances, money can influence success, and success can determine how much money you have. These 5 key aspects can also be applied to understand why “some people are so poor” even when they have money. 

During my personal and professional life, I have met many people who have made substantial fortunes and are also rich in many non-monetary ways. But unfortunately, I have also met many people who in my opinion have only money and yet are very poor in other aspects of their lives. Today I will delve into how this can be (for some readers, entitled children of wealthy individuals often come to mind when considering this quote, however, for today's post, I am only considering those who worked to create the wealth, not their children).

How can you have Money and be Poor?

In searching the internet for comments on this quote, some commentators assumed being poor meant being spiritually poor. My interpretation is that they think such a person is spiritually poor if they are lacking in religious, human and societal values. Others focused on the concept money does not buy happiness and that there are things money cannot buy such as values and relationships. Finally, some people took for granted many people want money and/or success. Yet, they felt it was important people chasing the almighty dollar also attempted to find happiness in day to day living as chasing wealth without chasing happiness would leave you empty and only with money.

Monetarily Successful People

While some successful people may sacrifice spiritualism, in my experience, spiritualism is typically not present or strong to begin with in those who sacrifice that aspect of their life. 

There are people who in the name of money that have impacted society negatively, either environmentally or in other nefarious ways. But those are typically a small minority. Societal values are one area where successful people can sometimes just use their money to improve society, by just signing their name to a cheque. This can be done by funding projects for those less fortunate or giving generously to charitable causes even if they have limited personal involvement or are just donating for image purposes. 

Based on the above, it is therefore my perception that those who are “poor because all they have is money” typically sacrificed family and health to achieve their monetary wealth.

Sacrificing Family and Health

Health

The health topic is unfortunately often clear-cut. Many people work so hard to make money that they do some or all of the following: don’t exercise, don’t eat properly, drink to much or take time to deal with their mental health, which often leads to poor health or even death.

Family

For me, family is the largest casualty of those who are so poor, all they have is money. These people are just so busy chasing money and/or their dreams that they have no time left for their family. I personally do not think most people have any intention to “sacrifice” their family in their chase for financial success. It just incrementally occurs as they excuse themselves to meet a client, work all weekend to meet a deadline, go to business dinners or travel to that extra convention to drum up more business. The energy spent trying to earn every last dollar and workaholic behaviour leads to missing a child’s birthday party, play/recital/teacher parent meeting and Valentine’s dinner with your spouse and the trip you promised your family after you closed that “big deal”. Suddenly, you are not there as a parent, spouse or friend and you compensate by buying gifts and material things, rather than giving your time. 

This is the cost I have seen over the years. Marriages dissolved and children estranged and spouses and/or children with personal, mental or health issues. In the end, the parent becomes solely a bank with little to no actual familial involvement. That is my interpretation of “Some people are so poor, all they have is money.”

Life Balance

At the risk of being simplistic (I am sure some psychologists have 100 page papers on this topic) and/or “preachy,” in my experience, the difference between those who had money and were not poor versus those that were poor was life balance. They did not need to make that last dollar by sacrificing their family time for every deal. Yes, they did occasionally or more than occasionally work too hard or too late and yes, they did sacrifice family time where the business or job demanded it, but overall, they ensured they had their date night with their spouse, attended as many children functions as possible, showed their children charitable actions both financially and by personal actions and just made family time a priority.

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Are Money and Success the Same Thing? Part 2

In my blog post yesterday, I left you to contemplate some very insightful definitions and interpretations of success and how you would answer the question; are money and success the same thing? After re-reading those definitions and interpretations, my answer is that money and success are not one and the same.

However, that being said, I acknowledge that there is also a thread that closely connects success and money in many circumstances, such that the distinction is often blurred. Thus, today I thought I would expand the question to include not only are money and success the same thing, but can money bring you success or success bring you money? For those that feel I should be true to the original premise and question, I apologize for the re-phrasing, but hey, it's my blog :).

I believe there are circumstances where money can certainly help buy or leverage success while in other situations, money may derail success. On the flip side, there appear to be circumstances where success brings you money.

So let’s look at money and success in five of the key aspects of all our lives: family, career, health, spiritualism and impact on society. 

Family

I agree with John Maxwell’s definition of success noted in yesterday's blog, or at least a variation of it. When it comes to family, love and affection are familial success, not money. Nevertheless, we know families can be torn apart because of money; often because money is very tight, but surprisingly often when there is too much money in the family.

With respect to family, money and success are clearly not the same thing. In respect of my re-phrased question, money will not bring you familial success, but in some circumstances, too much or too little money can tear away at the fabric of love and affection. Familial success in my opinion has little bearing on monetary success.

Career

If we are honest with ourselves, career success often leads to money and thus, this is the one aspect of our lives where I can see how a number of people equate money with success. Yes, there are many people for whom the job is the key and money is only secondary. But when we chat about someone, the first topic is usually about their job, which leads us wonder how much money they make. Or alternatively, John makes so much money as a lawyer, he must be successful.

I definitely think there is some truth in Wayne Dyer's comments noted in my blog yesterday where he says  “Successful people make money. It's not that people who make money become successful, but that successful people attract money. They bring success to what they do.” 

Thus, in the case of a career, even if you don’t agree money and success are one in the same, I think you will agree, there are career related circumstances where money can buy success or success can lead to money.

Health

Striving for money can affect one’s health, be it striving for enormous wealth or enough to just support your family. Alternatively, money may relieve stress (no need to work hard) and buy you better health care.

In this circumstance, I think it is clear money and success are not the same thing. Having money won’t mean you’re successful in health, aka healthy, happy, active (whatever other words you think defines healthy), the only affect money can have on successful health is that it may enable you to buy the best healthcare possible. We all know the best healthcare does not guarantee successful health, but in very selected cases, money may buy you health because of the access to care money provides.

In the end, Bob Marley said it best. On his deathbed he told his son Ziggy, “Money can’t buy life”.

Spirituality

This is one case where money is meaningless. People’s spirituality comes from deep inside and money means nothing. However, it is somewhat ironic that when looking for money to build the addition to the church, synagogue or mosque, the first line of attack are those parishioners with money.

Impact on Society

Many people have a positive impact on society by giving their time for the greater good through volunteering. However, other people with money leverage their money to achieve real or perceived success through philanthropic deeds associated with money, such as building a hospital. Some people feel that is not true success, it is just a donation of money, while others would argue building a new hospital is a true success, regardless of whether the person just wrote a cheque or wrote a cheque and volunteered their time.

I think in this situation, money and success are not one in the same, but money can clearly have a positive impact on society and therefore, promote a form of success.

Conclusion

Wow, this blog post just kept going. If you are still with me, give yourself a gold star. So after rephrasing and rambling on over 1400 words, have we learned anything? I have learned (as I worked out this little philosophical debate in my head) that money and success are not one and the same, but do impact one another. Meaning in certain circumstances, money can influence success, and success can determine how much money you have.

On that note, I wish success to you all; however the heck you define it.

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