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	Friday, July 08, 2005

Australian Millionaires Feel Poor   (on life) I have been feeling a little bit sheepish for declaring that I may be starting to fear success, as with many of the people seemed to do.  Maybe I just had a bad day, or maybe needed a break. Then I read this, and I start to feel philosophical again. According to this report, only five percent of Australia's millionaires  ( 12,000 people studied)  regard themselves as prosperous and many believe they are struggling close to the poverty line. In fact, seven percent of the very wealthy - with assets of three million Australian dollars or more ( well over 2 million US dolalrs) - described themselves as "poor" or "just getting along". 'Far from the belief that higher incomes and more assets will create a prosperous nation, it seems that the relentless emphasis on higher incomes will in fact generate more dissatisfaction,' according to Clive Hamilton, co author of the study. 'Overall life satisfaction is little affected by differences in wealth,' he said. 'It seems that the richer that we become, the less satisfied we are with our incomes. It's as if our levels of desire always stay ahead of our actual levels of income.' For sure, society now is vastly different.  I remember 30 years ago, there was so much less assets and wealth in our city, yet a lot of people did not feel poor.  The rich had bigger land and bigger houses and have tv.  Now, with conspicuous consumption, and all the nice gadgets, things, and brand names to splurge, the end result is that people do indeed feel deprived.  It is easy to compare your clothes, your accessories, your car, your component system, your projector tv,  and all others.  Not only with those of your own city, but everybody worldwide.  We see what American sare enjoying, and before long we yearn for the same. Of course, the other lesson I feel is that indeed, maybe the richest people are the richest because they feel deprived. Nothing fuels ambition more than your feeling that you still have something to show to everybody, which in today's society has become a very strong peer urge.  I guess that is the reason why the most of the successful entrepreneurs are born poor -- and many of the second and third generation people do not do as well to grow their wealth. I think the strength of the ambition and the aggressiveness to succeed is a central factor of a person who will make it to the top.  Which makes me again ponder on my previous post.  Once I lose the hunger to make it, will that mean that I will be less successful? Most probably, but not necessarily less happy as less focus on material success can make me focus more on other things that are important in life. 6:23:29 PM     comment []   trackback []