Without Wealth, You Might Be a "Slave"

Reading Notes

The best excerpts from The Greatest Saleman in the World by OG MANDINO

Without Wealth, You Might Be a "Slave"

Hafid said, “ My ambition is to become even greater then you, the greatest merchant, the wealthiest salseman in all the world!”

Pathros shook his head. “ Wealth, my son, should never be your goal in life. Your words are eloquent but they are mere words. True wealth is of the heart, not of the purse. My son, do not aspire for wealth and labor not only to be rich. Strive instead for happiness, to be loved and to love, and most important, to acquire peace of mind and serenity. ”

Hafid continued to persist, “ But these things are impossible without gold. Who can live in poverty with peace of mind? How can one be happy with an empty stomach? How can one demonstrate love for one’s family if he is unable to feed and clothe and house them? You, yourself, have said that wealth is good when it brings joy to others. Why then is my ambition to be wealthy not a good one? Poverty may be a previlege and even a way of life for the monk in the desert, for he has only himself to sustain and none but his god to please. But I consider poverty to be the mark of a lack of ability or a lack of ambition. I’m not deficient in either of these qualities.”

P.S.

Did you ever play a part of Hafid who was full of passion of dreams but was told by one of seniors that do not aspire for wealth, but the peace of mind, that true wealth is of the heart, not of the purse? Here I want to use one of words by Pathros to tell himself that his words are also eloquent but they are mere words, too.

Who, except animals, can have the peace of mind without funds? If people were just going after peace of mind, would society develop? In truth, society’s development needs funds. That is to say, no wealth, no development. So, in order to abtain peace of mind, be bold to chase after wealth so long as we walk in the right legal direction. That’s not the only way, but so important.

You are not a slave of wealth, but, without wealth, you might be a "slave". You know we live not in the dream, but in the real word, the dog eat dog word.

Producer: SobomA

Date:    June 4, 2008