| I don't mind admitting that I'm quite a fan of | | | | The trap of developing a love affair with money |
| money. It's very pleasing and liberating to be able | | | | can be a very easy one to fall victim to. When |
| to live a life that is not consumed with worry | | | | we fail to see money as a tool, and instead |
| related to paying bills or making ends meet on a | | | | worship it as a deity, our lives are sent on futile |
| month to month basis. It's very nice to be able to | | | | and frustrating trajectories. There are many |
| live comfortably and to afford the things that you | | | | people in this world who have spent lots of time |
| need or desire without having to run up huge | | | | and money attaining degrees and accolades to |
| debts in order to attain them. Also, it's great to | | | | enter into careers that are frustrating and |
| be able to be a source of assistance to those | | | | stressful so that they can make as much money |
| who are less fortunate and to be able to | | | | as possible. |
| contribute to and invest in causes that you | | | | The problem with loving money is that you never |
| believe in. I imagine there are few leadership | | | | have enough, and people inevitably damage |
| development programs that don't deal with the | | | | themselves and those around them in the pursuit |
| subject of money and finances in one way or | | | | of gaining more of it. If you were to do research |
| another. | | | | on the fates of those who won the lottery and |
| There is no escaping it. Money plays an important | | | | what state their lives were in five years down |
| part in our lives. The fact of the matter however, | | | | the line, you might find the results very shocking. |
| is that money is not without its pitfalls. Based on a | | | | A surprising amount of people who had access to |
| healthy perspective, money should be considered | | | | enormous wealth, ended up broke and broken |
| to be a useful and powerful tool, and like any tool, | | | | just a few short years after their winning ticket |
| the value or cost derived from it depends on the | | | | came in. |
| motivation of the person wielding it. The moment | | | | Money is indeed a powerful thing which needs to |
| money becomes an end in itself is the moment | | | | be given direction carefully and prudently. |
| that we begin to torment ourselves with all kinds | | | | Effective leadership development is mindful of this |
| of griefs. | | | | necessity. Money should never represent the |
| There is a common saying that often gets | | | | compass of our lives with all our actions and |
| misquoted: "Money is the root of all evil." That | | | | ambitions being based and dependent on it. Again, |
| representation is not entirely accurate. The | | | | there is no arguing the fact that having it makes |
| correct saying goes: "The love of money is the | | | | life far more comfortable than not having it, but |
| root of all evil." This may seem like a small | | | | we would do well to always keep money in its |
| distinction, but the resultant difference is profound. | | | | proper perspective. |