“There are two ways to be rich. Make more or want less.”
I saw this quote on a surfer’s T-shirt in Hawaii many years ago. Since then, I’ve seen many variations attributed to different authors. As a goal-oriented person, the words just took me into the present moment. I can be “rich” right now.
Excitedly, I told a friend the quote, and he paused and said, “I’ll take the first one.” (Make more!)
I gave him that confused look, and then thought to myself: Did he miss the point? or did I?
There are two ways to be rich:
1. Acquire great wealth
2. Acquire few needs.
—Doris Janez Longacre
My pondering took me back to those multiple choice college entrance exams with choice A, B, or C. Then, there was D (all of the above) and E (none of the above). Yes, those were hard questions! Today, I realize that two people can both be right and both be wrong … at the same time. A paradox, I know, but true.
There are two ways to be rich:
One is by acquiring much, and
the other is by desiring little.
—Jackie French Koller
Life has stages and cycles. There are times to hold a goal, accomplish more, do more, see more, experience more. Then there are the times to sit back and appreciate what we have. The first is about connecting to our driving purpose, our passion, our purpose in life. The second is about living the present moment, appreciating the ever present NOW, enjoying the journey of life.
There are two ways to be rich –
one in the abundance of your possessions
and the other in the fewness of your wants.
—E. Stanley Jones
I do not believe life is an ascetic journey to get rid of all wants and desires. On the contrary, life asks us to connect to our true desire, our true purpose. The true desire might not be more possession, the newest smartphone, the bigger house, the faster car. Perhaps true desires are simple ones, but ones that require more than money: love, friendship, community.
You are rich if you have enough money to satisfy all your desires.
So there are two ways to be rich: you earn, inherit, borrow, beg, or steal enough money to meet all your desires; or you cultivate a simple lifestyle of few desires; that way you always have enough money.
–Dan Millman, Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives
Yes, BOTH can be true. I can be happy right now AND still desire more.
There are two ways to be rich: one is to have everything you want;
the other is to want everything you have.
Let’s all be rich!
There are two ways of being rich:
one is to have all you want,
the other is to be satisfied with what you have.
Perhaps, there are more than two ways to be rich. There are as many ways as there are people on the planet.
Find your way.