It is fraud when you plan to get money without solving problems

Horace Greeley once said, “The darkest hour in any man’s life is when he sits down to plan how to get money without earning it.” The right way to make money is not chasing it, but attracting it.

The youths are in a mad-rush for money and material possessions at the detriment of pursuing purpose and meaning. The youth unemployment rate in Africa is alarming because African youths have not realized their latent potentials and the value they have to offer to the continent. To add value to others, you must be value oriented. You attract money by solving people’s problem, meeting people’s need, seizing opportunities, and following through on great ideas. Chase people’s needs and not money. There might not always be money to spend, but there will always be problems to solve. Stop chasing money, look for problems and work out solutions.

Your life is in God’s hand but your money is in other people’s bank accounts. What can you offer them legitimately that will make them transfer it to you happily and how can you get as many people to do that? These are the critical questions for wealth creation. Instead of praying night and day for money, take wise steps towards helping other people solve their problems and money will flow to you unhindered.

Former President of the United States of America, Barack Obama once said, “Focusing your life solely on making money shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. And it will leave you unfulfilled.” When the ambition of a man is chasing after money, wealth becomes elusive. As Mike Murdock puts it, ‘’Money is the reward you get for solving someone’s problem’’. It is fraud when you plan to get money without solving a problem. The truth is: money is just a reflection of the value you give to others. So the more you solve problems, the more money you will make. Some people are only passionate about doing anything just to get money while great people are passionate about adding value to people’s lives for profit.

George Washington Carver once said, “No individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving behind him distinct and legitimate reasons for having passed through it.’’

The issue of young people running after money without any definite and concrete plans to add value to the world is appalling. We seriously need to re-orientate our youths on the need to have a sense of value. We need a renewed thinking approach to wealth. Wealth is not all about money; it is about adding value, solving problems, and leaving the world better than we met it. Money is not everything! Myles Munroe said, “Wealth is given to fulfil purpose and divine assignment. The rich think about ‘contribution’; the poor think about ‘consumption’. The rich think about giving back to the society but the poor think always about what they need to take from the society. You were not born to make a living but to make a difference. What you drive is not as important as what is driving you.

Your ambition is poor if it is all about making money. Money is not the end; it is a means to the end. Garth Brooks said, “You aren’t wealthy until you have something money can’t buy”. There is a specific reason why you were born, a specific thing only you can accomplish while you are here on earth. You’ve got to discover the one thing that you were created to be and be willing to pay the price to be it.

I have observed that one of the major differences between the Rich and the Poor is this: The Poor chase after money while the Rich attract money. You find ‘meaning’ in life by looking inwards for your gifts, strength, talents, skills and unique abilities and then look outward for a problem to solve. You find meaning in life by adding value. You find meaning in life by making maximum impact in your community. You find meaning by making a difference where you are. The richest people in the world were just trying to solve a problem and ended up becoming rich. You earn money by finding meaning and solving a problem. Money is the by-product of finding meaning.

In his best-selling book, “The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?”, Rick Warren summarily emphasized that the purpose of life is simply to live a life of purpose. You need a ‘purpose mindset’ to navigate productively through life. You were not placed on this earth to be a wandering generality, but rather a meaningful specific. Pursue ‘meaning’, value, and purpose.

When a man pursues purpose, money comes ultimately. The great Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful”. Life is not all about money. It is living out on something that outlives you. The true worth of a man is not measured with money; it is measured by the object of his pursuit. When a man pursues purpose, fulfilment is inevitable. When a man pursues money, then fulfilment will always be elusive. It is only people that are driven by purpose that will ultimately be relevant in life. The pursuit of money alone will always make you inconspicuous in the crowd.

Aliko Dangote, the richest man in Africa said, ‘’Every morning when I wake up, I make up my mind to solve as many problems, before returning home.’’ Dangote was passionate about solving problems and undoubtedly became the richest in Africa. Bill Gates, who was once the world’s richest man for several years is a philanthropist committed to giving 95% of his fortune to charity.

It is not unusual that the man noted for solving most of the software problems in the world eventually became the richest. Money has a path; it will always flow to the direction where problems are solved. The world of today is more effective just by looking through Bill Gates’ windows.

John C. Maxwell said, “Most people are capable of making a living. The significant thing is making a difference.” Life is about making an impact, not making an income. An average youth should be a solution and not a problem in the contemporary world. Let us stop the ‘mad’ and ‘demented’ rush after money; let us proffer solutions to problems and earn money legitimately and credibly. Work hard towards evolving an idea that will solve problems and not just make money the object of your pursuit. Pursue ‘meaning’, value, and purpose. What matters that you leave behind in life is not money, it is meaning – a legacy. Pursue meaning, not money, and money will chase you, pants down!