There are two things people want more than money

“There are two things people want more than money. Recognition and praise.”
-Mary Kay Ash.

As often stated, said, observed and felt, money alone is a factor that has taken many lives, ruined far too many relationships, led to preposterous decisions and well, instigated the discovery of the rarest talent. The lack of this one factor leads us into the destructive phase of depression and henceforth, suicide. It doesn’t even take the help of too much exaggeration to say that we unconsciously worship money. That is to say that we think about it day and night, we believe our world incomplete without its existence and make our goals and dreams revolve around this one factor.

So the obvious question is, why?

Why do we need that much money when there is only so much that includes the basic necessities? Why do we think we can never have our happy ending without having more than enough money to spend?

This is where the praise and recognition factors come into the picture. Humans by birth, require attention, love and the need to be told that they are praiseworthy.

Let’s put it this way, you have a very rare talent. You are able to use it to do the most amazing things that no one is able to appreciate. They think you are wasting your time and that you are rude and silly. They gossip about you behind your back.

In this scenario, money and talent are not bringing in the kind of happiness you want because of what?

PRAISE AND RECOGNITION.

In the materialistic environment we live in today, money raises our social status and confidence. It is unfortunately, that simple. You have money, you have friends. No one cares if you are intelligent or not as long as you have flashy cars parked in the garage of your palace. I mean, what else do you need if you have all that?

Money buys you all the praise you need to be happy in the world today which is why humans have developed a lust for it.

The once impressive and motivational quote, ‘money cannot buy happiness’ is now void and that is no doubt, because money can now buy you all that you need including recognition. Everyone will look up to your palace and hope that you greet them or be really happy if you shake hands with them just because you have money.

Mary Kay Ash was a woman that wished to stand on her own feet. When she said people want recognition and praise more than money, she was most definitely thinking about all that she had to go through.

After feeling the sense of mortification when the guy she was asked to train at a traditional business company was promoted to higher rank than hers (and twice too) she knew that she had to do something to bring herself forward. Depending on a company to pay her more or to wait till they recognized her talents were one thing, but taking a bolder step and creating her own business where she would be the boss was another (and a flashier kind of success).

She chose that.

The question is, why?

Why take the risk of being poorer than you are at the current moment in hopes of a future success that might take ages to achieve or not be achieved at all?

That again, was done for recognition.

Today, I feel like our drive to earn that money falls under 3 main categories: Money for needs, money for wants and finally, money for lust.

When we want money for our needs, we actually think about all the basic things that require money (food, clothing, a house, etc.) but when we say money for wants, we’re talking about luxury which includes fancy mobile phones, branded clothing, shoes bags and even doughnuts and coffee (no it is not a need).

And so we come to the most ominous of our categories: Money for lust. This category has no basic reason for you wanting that money. You just want it because its money. You have all that fancy tech that everybody wants and all those branded clothes but you still want your pockets full of that paper because it makes you feel good. If, my friend, you fall under that category, I can assure you sleepless nights and no real peace.

Why?

Because “excess of anything is bad”, poisonous even.

We humans, are containers that can hold only so much of anything (according to our own unique ‘molds’) and as soon as we try to add more to the already full container, it turns to poison and begins to rot us away and messes with our inner peace.

So yes, money does buy you happiness in most cases, but your lust for it will ruin every bit of your happiness.

Don’t believe me? Try it.

~ by Fatina Shahzad