Rich is Not the Same as Wealthy: Real Talk about Self-Worth 

Napoleon Hill’s "Think and Grow Rich" is one of my favorite books. I always go back to it when I need guidance. However, the more I think about that book, I would have given it a different title – Think and Grow WEALTHY. 

A rich person has money. A wealthy person has it all. 

A rich person has money, but they may not have happiness, good health, empathy, and a gracious attitude. A wealthy person, however, has the money to go along with the happiness, the health, the empathy, and the attitude of gratitude. 

The rich person hoards money and doesn’t use it to serve others. The wealthy person invests their money, and their generosity knows no bounds. The rich person lives in fear of losing their money because they believe there isn’t enough to go around, so they’re always chasing it. The wealthy never chase anything, because the wealthy person lives with an unswayable confidence that there is enough wealth to go around. 

Rich is materialistic. 

Wealth is miraculous. 

The words rich and wealthy should never be used interchangeably because they symbolize two totally different personalities. If you doubt this theory, think about the people who chased money until they finally got it and they still weren’t happy. Each time a rich person buys something, they think that one thing is FINALLY going to do the trick. That one thing is going to give them the happiness and peace they crave so very badly. But guess what happens? 

The newness wears off, their unhappiness creeps back in, and they’re back in chasing mode. Rich people chase everything, including people, because they often think a person can make them happy. This mindset results in superficial relationships that don’t last. Contrary to what some believe everything does not have a price tag. 

On that note, if a person can be bought, you don’t want that person. 

The wealthy person has been happy without the material things. They know the secret. They know happiness is an inside job. The inner work has been done, and they are beyond grateful for the life they have created for themselves. The wealthy get as much love and satisfaction from giving as they do from receiving, and there is an equal balance of these actions in their lives. A wealthy person’s relationships are not self-serving. Their inner circle is small, but mighty, and each person receives mutual benefits making the relationships sustainable. Again, there is an equal balance of giving and receiving. 

Rich is not sustainable. 

Wealthy is sustainable. 

There is a level of confidence a wealthy person has that the rich person never achieves. The wealthy do not compare themselves to others. Instead, they make observations of how others live, and they have an appreciation for the differences in how people choose to live. The wealthy are always learning and growing. Making observations instead of judgements is a learning strategy and way of life. 

Rich people behave the opposite. They may have a Bentley sitting in their garage, but they are still envious of their neighbor’s Lamborghini. The newness of any material thing wears off fast, especially when they see someone with something they view as greater than what they have. They make judgments not observations, and these comparisons rob them of true happiness. A rich person’s self-worth is measured by how much money they have. A rich person feels valid when they have on the most expensive jewelry in the room. They may even feel superior, but the moment someone walks in wearing something nicer their superiority crumbles right then and there. 

In 2017, I started practicing Transcendental Meditation. That’s when I was introduced to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the Indian who invented this style of meditation and introduced it to the world. He spoke about the true meaning of happiness a lot during his lifetime. When I heard him explain how material things were only a source of happiness, I changed my lifelong perspective about money. I stopped chasing it, and I stopped allowing it to determine my self-worth. Self-worth is something that does not have a price tag. I promise you. It cannot be bought. 

Think about this. If a person has zero self-worth, they are not happy. One cannot exist without the other. A person who has self-worth is happy. So, if self-worth can’t be bought, why would anyone focus on accumulating money to buy material things instead of focusing on building their self-worth? Self-worth is free. Plus, no one can take it from you, but they can take your riches. 

Rich is not sustainable. 

Self-worth is sustainable. 

I wrote this article because many of us were socialized to believe that money is the root of all evil, but it’s not. It’s the mindset that’s evil not the money itself. Money is a wonderful asset if it’s placed into the right hands. There’s one question that wealthy people ask that rich people don’t – How may I serve? 

Your take-away is the differences in mindsets. The rich person is self-serving. The wealthy is generous. The rich person can go broke. The wealthy person cannot be broken. 

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I’d love to hear your thoughts about my perception of rich versus wealthy, especially from those of you that disagree with my theory. You are the ones I learn from most.