“I’m not greedy. I only need one million dollars and I’ll be satisfied.”
I can’t tell you how many times I heard my mother recite this exact refrain.
The underlying psychology/philosophy set a course for my life…
And based on a number of conversations I’ve had recently, I feel like it’s really important for me to talk about this today.
Because maybe you’ve experienced something similar.
I want you to be EMPOWERED. Hopefully this can give you at least a little boost.
Before I talk about the distant past, though, let me share a recent development.
This month, I gave away my car.
It’s not as generous as it sounds, and it wasn’t a marketing gimmick.
Not many people know this yet, but one of my teenaged nephews came to live with us in June. His parents kicked him out with little more than the clothes on his back.
We’ve gone to work getting him right. The boy needs a car to get to school and work.
I’m not saying this for applause. I’m trying to tell you a story.
Thank God we’ve been able to help my nephew.
And thank God my mother’s “I only need a million” mindset didn’t sabotage our ability to get to this point.
Mom had a (relatively) pure heart and the best intentions…
But take a look beneath the surface of that mentality.
It’s deceiving. It sounds humble and altruistic.
In truth, it’s packed with passivity – and it’s actually a little selfish.
Read it one more time: “All I need is one million dollars and I’ll be satisfied.”
Yes, one million dollars could have afforded us a lifestyle I could only dream of as a kid, and we could have helped a few people.
But there would have been a limit to the good we could have done in the world.
Here’s the point:
Your success isn’t just for you.
Contentment is a great thing. And you can surely be “satisfied” (in many ways) with one million dollars or less.
But what if you had ten million? Who else would you help? What other benefits could your generosity produce?
I encourage you to think bigger about your own success today. You never know who will need you.
You’ll be glad you did.
P.S. I’m obviously not saying you have to have a million dollars to be generous. I encourage you to be as giving as you can be, no matter how much money you have.
You can give a little like the poor woman in the Gospel of Luke who gave two mites. You can also give in ways that have nothing to do with money.
Point is, be generous!