Apr 13
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Better Than Money?
Does Money Buy Happiness? 
What is Better Than Money?
An article by Geoffrey James in Inc. Magazine outlines “10 Things Better Than Money,” in which he writes:
Assuming you want to create both wealth and happiness for yourself and those around you, you have two approaches: wait until you’re wealthy to be happy, or become more happy now and thereby create more wealth.
I maintain that, in today’s economy, it’s easier to start with the happiness, because unlike wealth (which takes time to accumulate), you can increase the amount of happiness in your life within minutes, simply by taking more notice of things that make you happy.
What Women (and Men) Really Want
Let’s be honest here. Money can certainly help us satisfy our basic needs, like food, shelter, safety, etc. One could even buy sex. Poverty can make life more difficult. Money can even enhance our self-esteem and help us satisfy our need for belonging. However, the love of money for its own sake can lead to unhappiness. I am not against money. My main point in this post is that there are some things that are even “better than money”.
Attention!
People need attention to satisfy a wide range of emotional needs, including love, belonging, and empowerment. Children will do whatever it takes to get attention — even misbehaving. Teenagers use “shocking” styles of clothing and grooming to be noticed. Adults try to “keep up with the Joneses.” Flashy red or yellow sports cars get attention.
If you had unlimited wealth, wouldn’t you like to share some? The good news is that you DO have a virtual fortune in gems that are better than money! Pay attention! This is one secret of successful leadership…pay attention! Rather invest attention… Being interested makes you interesting!
Recognition
Psychologists believe that attention and recognition are primary needs, like food and water. Understanding this secret can be the key to your success as a leader. Knowing this secret helped Mary Kay build a billion dollar empire. She said, “There are two things that people want even more than sex and money: recognition and praise.”
Sincere praise costs the giver very little, but it is precious to the receiver. What a fantastic bargain!
Faith, Hope and Love 
The Dalai Lama wrote a post about our need for love on the “HealYourLife.com” blog. Here are some excerpts from that article:
ULTIMATELY, the reason why love and compassion bring us the greatest happiness is simply that our nature cherishes them above all else. The need for love lies at the very foundation of human existence. It results from the profound interdependence we all share with one another.
No material object—however beautiful or valuable—can make us feel loved, because our deeper identity and true character lie in the subjective nature of the mind.
Job Satisfaction and Personal Fulfillment
According to Psychologist Abraham Maslow, when we are not starved for food or safety, we tend to seek love and belonging. If we have love and belonging, we seek respect and creativity, etc. Most people in the modern world are motivated by more than hunger or security.
Steve Jobs, Founder of Apple, said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”
Why can’t we all be satisfied?
An article in the PsyBlog outlines “10 Psychological Keys to Job Satisfaction,” with the following conclusion:
When you look at this list of what makes for a satisfying job, you might wonder why everyone can’t have one. With a little thought, most of the predictors of satisfaction can be provided.
The answer is probably quite simple. Organisations pay lip-service to keeping their employees satisfied, but many don’t really believe it makes a difference. What this research shows is that it can make a huge difference.
In conclusion, I hope that while we are busy “making” money, we will keep the need for money in perspective relative to other needs. Let’s be happy, healthy, and satisfied! Now, please make me happy by sharing some “Comment Luv.” I will love you back… 😉
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