MONEY MAKES YOU HAPPY

MONEY MAKES YOU HAPPY

HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU NEED TO BE HAPPY

IS MONEY THE KEY TO HAPPINESS

Musings

By

VIKRAM KARVE

In your opinion, how much money do you need to be happy?

Give me a figure. 

One Lakh, Ten Lakhs, One Crore, Ten Crore, One Million, One Billion ... how much?

One day, when you have earned that amount, will you sit back satisfied, relax and be happy all your life or will you keep on striving to earn more and more money till your dying day?

Way back in the 1970s, when we were studying engineering we wanted a cycle and we wanted a job. 

Yes, when we were students we desired to have a cycle. 

But, our principle desire after completing our B. Tech. was to get a job.

After we got a job we wanted a Motorcycle and then a Bajaj Scooter 

(yes, a Bajaj Scooter was the ultimate status symbol for which one had to patiently wait for a few years). 

A few years later, one day, I had a coveted Bajaj Scooter and I was happy. 

In my wildest dreams I had never imagined that I would have a car, but many years later I was a proud owner of a car too. 

Soon I had my own home and enough money to live a reasonably comfortable life. 

Now what more do I want? 

That's when I decided enough is enough and I “retired” from my “job” and decided to invest my my time in what I like to do best - writing (and blogging).  

(Remember, you can always earn more money but you cannot get back lost time - so your time is the most valuable resource, a much more valuable resource than money)

I blog every day. 

I have written a book of short stories, a foodie book and I am leisurely writing my novel now. 

Yes, I am writing leisurely, without deadlines, because I want to enjoy my writing.

In fact, I have realized that the creative writing process (the journey) is more enjoyable than the destination (publication).

There is a Chinese saying:

He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough

It is the same with money:

“If you know when enough is enough, you will always have enough” 

Money is like petrol in a car. 

 

Money is not the car. 

 

Money is not the destination. 

 

The petrol in your car enables you to go from place A to place B. 

 

Now suppose you have reached your destination place B. 

 

Now money ( “petrol” ) will also enable you to go from place B to place C. 

 

But suppose you are happy and content at being at place B and do not want to go to place C

Then is the petrol of any use?

Of what use is petrol if you do not want to travel because you are content where you are?   

 

Do you have a capacity for contentment...? 

 

Do you know when enough is enough...?

 

I am sure you have read a version of this meaningful inspirational story:

A fisherman lived on a tropical island.  

He fished for his family and had plenty of time to play with his children, to enjoy the beauty around him and to be a good neighbour.

 

A yacht arrived carrying a wealthy entrepreneur.  

The fisherman took him out for a day’s fishing. 

 

As the day went on the entrepreneur looked at the beautiful island with its silver sand fringed with palm trees, the calm blue sea filled with a rainbow of darting fish and saw the opportunity for development and making lots of money. 

 

The wealthy and successful entrepreneur was a magnanimous man so he thought he must help the fisherman by offering him the idea, so he said to the fisherman, “Why don’t you build a hotel and encourage tourists to come to the island...?”

 

“A hotel...?” the fisherman asked perplexed.

 

“Yes, a hotel,” the businessman said, “In fact you should build a holiday village with a sports complex so people can come and relax.  It could be so successful that you could build an air strip so you can offer the whole package to the tourists so you can cut out the middle man and make even greater profits.”

 

“Why should I do that...?” asked the fisherman.

 

“You would make lots of money and be rich of course...!” replied the entrepreneur.

 

“How long would it take...?” asked the fisherman

 

“I would think it would take ten years to be really successful,” answered the entrepreneur.

 

“What would I do with all that money...?” asked the fisherman.

 

“You could go on exotic holidays to a beautiful island where you could fish, play with your children and have plenty of time to enjoy the beauty all around you” replied the entrepreneur.

 

“But that is exactly what I am doing now, isn’t it...?” asked the bewildered fisherman.  

Sometimes we can have happiness and contentment here and now, but we keep on struggling and aspiring for more and more and do not enjoy what we already have. 

Yes, Your Happiness is Here and Now, not in some distant future, so don't be ambitious, ruin your present, and try to chase happiness.

 

It would be apt to quote Warren Buffet:

 

“I really like my life. I've arranged my life so that I can do what I want... I get to do what I like to do every single day of the year…”

 

Dear Reader, may I wish you happiness and contentment here and now, wherever you are, with whatever you have got.

 

Remember: Money is like petrol in a car. Money is not the car.

 

If you know when enough is enough, you will always have enough. 

VIKRAM KARVE 

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2012
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com

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