One of the greatest reasons for frustrations and agonies in the pursuit of wealth and riches is the inability of an average person who wants to acquire riches, to define what he or she really wants.

Almost everybody wants to be rich. Multitudes are working their hearts out every day in their desperation to become riches.

Yet many of these people cannot define what it really means to be rich.

Ask a million people to define what it means to be rich, and you can be sure to have a million definitions. It means different things to different people.

To some it means having certain amount in their bank account balance, to some others, it might mean, never to worry about money again.

The word rich can vary greatly.

Practically everyone you meet wants to be rich in the monetary sense. Nearly everyone wants to make more money.

The truth, however, is that being truly rich in life is not just about having more money. There are many “money bags” that are living miserable lives. They have so much money in their bank accounts yet they are not happy people.

Money is good but there are many things that are better than money.

Money should be seen as a tool for getting things done. The more money you have the more things you can get done.

Money is merely a means to an end, and not an end in itself.

Money can truly make life more comfortable, and secure. It can give you unusual access to certain places and people; you’ll never otherwise have met. Yet having money might not bring the sense of fulfillment and satisfaction that should normally accompany the attainment of true riches.

Being truly rich in life means having many other things more important than money……… happy family, great and fulfilling career, wonderful friends, peace of mind, joy and sound health.


Anyone, who is rich financially but poor emotionally and spiritually, is simply a bankrupt soul.

Consider these personalities:

-Howard Hughes, after becoming one of the world’s wealthiest tycoons, holes himself up in eccentric seclusion for years and finally dies of malnutrition.

-Michael W., after spending seventy hours a week getting his own dream business going, is suddenly flattened by a heart attack and confined to a hospital bed.

-Ralph Barton, once one of the foremost cartoonists, leaves this note as he takes his life: “I have had few difficulties, many friends, great successes; I have gone from wife to wife and from house to house, visited great countries of the world, but I am fed up with inventing devices to fill up twenty- four hours of the day.

All these men were at, or near, the top of their career. They knew no lack of money; yet, fulfillment and satisfaction that should characterize true prosperity were missing.

Now I’m not saying for a moment that a desire to be rich in the monetary sense is wrong. The problem is a wrong concept of true riches.

“Speaking to the people, he went on, “Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.”Luke 12:15

Being truly rich is about striving for balance in all aspects of your life.

There are people with less material wealth than you; your level of nothingness notwithstanding, who are very happy people.

You should no longer look down on yourself because you are financially broke. To be financially broke does not make you poor.

Your wonderful wife, great kids, friends, joy, peace, sound health and strong values are all pointers to the fact that you’re rich.

Now, let me ask you this question, what does being rich mean to you? Let’s have your view in the comment box.

To Your Prosperity

Sharon Akinoluwa