WE DON'T ADMIT, BUT WE LOVE MONEY!

I love money. I know you do too. Everybody loves money. Yet, only a few people admit they do. We pull out all the stops just to earn a few more. Some work two or more jobs. Others do some business, even if petty, just to make some more money. Yet, we try so hard to hide our love of money. I know people who sell mobile phone credit in their offices to make more money. Interestingly, the office is their primary market. Thank God our actions betray us.

A friend of mine carried out a random survey of about 30 of his friends on a whats app group. The question he asked was simple. ‘Do You Love Money?’ Only two people responded. One was honest enough to admit. The other said “I don’t love money. I need it”. I call that a disguised admission. There’s no middle ground here. Either you do or you don’t. Majority of the group members simply stayed away and I’m least surprised.

In our part of the world, we have been programmed from birth to believe that money is the root of all evil. Who wants to love something that is touted as the root of all evil? Many of us have come a long way from that time. I have grown to learn that the love of money can also inspire people to do great things. You may disagree. Perhaps on religious grounds. But I doubt if you’ll disagree with me on the fact that no one would put in as much effort into a competition with no prize money as they would in a competition with prize money of a million dollars.

Entrepreneurs love money. It gets them to think hard. It pushes them to be innovative. It makes them think of how to solve problems profitably. Otherwise what's the motivation? Some of them also admit it in disguise though. They describe it in all sorts of ways. I spend most of my free time thinking of and analyzing business ideas. Thinking of what problems I can also solve profitably. I know my 'eureka' moment is nigh. Bill Gates quit school because he spotted an opportunity. I'm not sure he knew he was going to be the richest man in the world one day. But I’m dead sure he knew very well his effort and hard work would pay off big time. He's retired now but still earns money. Everyone admires him mostly for his money. 

Our orientation on being motivated to work for more is typically interpreted as greed. It will take a little more effort to see beyond that. It's not evil to love money. It's evil to allow your love for money lead you to do evil. Unfortunately, money runs the world. It has corrupted it. People literally worship it. More value is placed on money than on human life which is very regrettable. But I guess that only underscores it’s importance. This is never to say that the end justifies the means. The end never justifies the means in this regard. What is wrong is wrong.

But bad people will do bad anyway. Even when it comes to money. It doesn't make the love of money evil. You may be familiar with this ‘For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows’. A great man once said, money only exposes what you truly are on the inside and at heart. I couldn't agree with him more. If money corrupts you, then you’re corrupt at heart. Money only exposed you. In the same light, if the love of money makes you wander away from your faith, then the money was only a reality check on your life. If you are corrupt with small money, then obviously you’ll be super corrupt with more money.  A philanthropist at heart will help more people with more money. Once again Bill Gates is a shining example with the malaria research he funds.

Don’t blame the money or the love of it. Blame the person. Like DMX said, guns don’t kill people, people kill people.  I had the opportunity to make about 3000 pounds a fortnight. I turned down the offer simply because I considered it dirty. I love money, don't forget. 

Albert Camus said “It's a kind of spiritual snobbery that makes people think they can be happy without money”. Indeed, there's nothing wrong with falling in love with something that makes you happy. Too much money can't be bad. For me, it’s only a guarantee that generations of my family that will come after me are insured against poverty. The more money I leave them, the longer the guarantee period. Money can't buy happiness no doubt. I've heard rich people say that many times. What I’m yet to witness is a rich man giving up all his money to be happy. They'd rather be unhappy in comfort. 

If Carlos Slim wakes up one morning to discover he's only as rich as Oprah Winfrey, I’m sure he'll consider himself poor. If the Nigerian billionaire Dangote wakes up with Kofi Amoabeng of UT's money, he'll cry his eyes out. Too much of money can't be bad at all as long you can fight the temptation. Admitting your love of money doesn't make you evil either. 

May be I don’t know what I’m talking about. May be the basis of my argument and  my perception about money are gravely flawed. May be my perspective is shallow. Or may be for some other reason known to you, I got the whole thing wrong.

Unless you can convince me beyond all reasonable doubt that you’ll let an opportunity to make a million dollars pass, you’re just like the rest of us who are bold enough to admit our love of money, only delusional.

Let your love of money inspire you into greatness. Let it inspire you to be innovative. If you’re content with just enough of it, don’t think luxury. Luxury is beyond enough. It’s for us. The one’s bold enough to admit our money love.