degero miro claro

I have been trying to amass a collection of quotes that, when I first read them, really seemed to be clear, make sense, and said something poignant about how life is and how we can live it happily and more easily. I’d like to intermittently post about them, but instead of just being like, “Oh my god this quote is amazing, this person is a genius!” I really want to explain why I think the quote is so nice and how it gives really good insight, or why it seems true to me. So here’s the first one I’d like to share:

“I am indeed rich since my income is superior to my expense and my expense is equal to my wishes.”

 -Edward Gibbon

I love that he said this because it is so TRUE. True true true. We have a really competitive culture. Our culture kind of makes it seem like there are only two options: you’re the best out of everything, or you’re crap. The expectation is that you are only successful or valuable if you are the #1 best, or you have the highest net worth possible, or if you have these token things that say “I am better than others, I am ideal, I am a success, I am acceptable.” This usually entails making a gross excess of money. Literally. There are individuals with billions and billions of dollars (Warren Buffet, Forbes 2008 #1 billionaire, net worth 62 bil.). Yes, they may have a much higher cost of living since they purchase fine things, and they may be supporting a family, and sending kids to college, but this does not require billions and billions of dollars. There is literally a gross excess that may never be spent and will last for generations.

Now, for one thing, this is a free country, and if some one really does love just making money – for some reason they find it interesting and satisfying, and they just get a kick out of commerce – they should be doing that. Ideally, since they’re making it simply for the joy of making it, maybe they would make sure to donate to a lot of charities (which a lot of billionaires do, thank god), and make sure all who are employed by them are compensated really well. But, it is a free country, and it is their money, so they can do with it what they choose. For all the rest of the people out there, who don’t find finance and economics emotionally satisfying, it’s important to be clear that making good money, and being “rich and successful” are relative things.

The way Gibbons phrased what he said is very practical and universally applicable. He accounts for the fact that we all do need some sort of cushion of security, “my income is superior to my expense.” You can’t simply run around spending everything you actually make because then you’d be in trouble if you became ill, or just wanted a break from work for a while, etc. And then he said the most important thing, so plain and clear and really focusing on the important part of everyone’s financial goals: my expense is equal to my wishes.

Equal to MY WISHES. You don’t need to make how much money your mother thinks you should make, or your brother, father, teachers, friends, colleagues, the E! network, the media, those who make more money than you do, or ANYONE thinks. You need to make how much money is necessary for WHAT YOU WANT. If you’re making enough to have security and room for the unexpected, and you make enough to do everything you really want to do, you are free. You are successful and wealthy in the most perfect way. That is SUCCESS. Feeling like you’ve achieved what YOU really want. That’s all anyone needs. And it is different for every person. Some people really want to do certain things and live a certain way, and they need millions or billions. Some only need thousands. What people want is a wide and varied spectrum, and you have to find your place on it. Really know what you love, and how you like to live, and plan your life accordingly. Don’t worry about what anyone else is thinking.

So I just really liked this quote because it is very clear and to the point, and is a release from some of the bogus social expectations of life.