What is True Prosperity?

Hello, my name is Maxim, i’m from Moscow (Russia).
I think about she’s tru prosperous, but it only soul prosperous. Because she did it for spiritual improvement. This her dream, her change and her prosperous.

Hello, my name is Maxim, i’m from Moscow (Russia).
I think about she’s tru prosperous, but it only soul prosperous. Because she did it for spiritual improvement. This her dream, her change and her prosperous.

Prosperity depends on each one of us, i think she is happy and prosperous, she’s working for her dream, doesn’t need a big salary.

Well!

It is a very good topic Randy, thanks for sharing me.
I think AbrahamHicks has a perfect answer to this question.
They say, that we do everything for life to be happy.

We want money so we can have toys in our life, we want a solid relationship because we want to feel good.
So the major point of this whole conversation is: “Do we feel good about ourselfs?”

Randy wrote: “The lady draws a very small salary, because she believes it would be hard to ask for donations from people if she took home a large one.” – for me it is an indicator, that she has a desire BUT she thinks it is NOT for her, but the desire is burning.
So, something is missing, I think she is not prosperous.

If she would say: “I live my work, I don’t need money, I have everything I wanna have, I can do whatever I wanna do” – that could have been an indicator for Prosperity – even though she has a little salary :)

I wish her more and more Joy, Happyness and Prosperity!

Hi Randy – interesting. I would have to say no, she is not prosperous. There is a difference between prosperity and liking (or loving) what you do. She certainly is giving back, is likely to be feeling good about her compassion for others, yet how much more could she give if she were making a million dollars. The amount is not important. God (or whatever the belief) did not create us/bring us here, to live part way lives.

I don’t believe that she is truly prosperous. If she was a rich woman, she could do more than that. And of course, the more she can help others, the more she feels happy.

I think prosperous can have different meanings to each person. The description of her life appears to me to define her idea of being prosperous and happy.

The knee jerk reaction is to rationalize her prosperity by saying that her “giving back” and being ok with that is her prosperity. I believe that prosperity is not a static thing. By her holding back on achieving in one area of her life (keeping her finances low because of what others might think about her) and not growing than she is not “truly” prosperous. Prosperity is dynamic and growing in ALL areas of life not just some of them.

Is she prosperous?

Yes, however she has issues which are preventing her from experiencing greater prosperity.

She does what she loves – Thats great
She’s healthy – Great
She has solid relationships -Great
Accepts a small pay check – Should accept more because she deserves it and it would put her in a much stronger position to continue to do her work and more.

Looking forward to your thoughts Randy!!

Ari

In my opinion, prosperity, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.
A poor carpenter in Nicaragua may be the only one in his village to own a bicycle. He can move around fluidly and do a helluva lot more business than the other folks in town who have to walk to where they want to go. Is he prosperous? In his own eyes and in the eyes of people in his culture, yes. In our eyes in the United States, perhaps not.

Hank Walshak

RG,
I keep a quote log and I have several of yours included, one of which is: “Poverty is not an absence of money and things-it is a state of mind. Prosperity is not an abundance of money and things-it is also a state of mind.” I bet if this woman was in a room with other “prosperous” people, we wouldn’t be able to tell she doesn’t have a lot of money. My guess is she’d hold her head high and her chest out and walk around proud. So, yes, in many ways she is prosperous.

No one can dictate to another what is “properous” for them. It sounds like the sister is realizing her dream..maybe not my type of dream or what is prosperous for me..I am still chasing mine.

Thanks Randy for great nuggets to poonder.

In the words of Master Jim Rohn :
“I will take care of me for you, if you will take care of you for me”
this is true prosparity.
What this lady is doing is nice, but if she can’t take the money for herself so she could take care of herself as good as she does about others, she ain’t prosperous. Plus if she thinks that being paid well for what she does isn’t a good thing, she has then an issue with money. Helping poor people with a wrong mindset about money isn’t right.

Being poor isn’t noble and or spiritual it is a sin

I think she is …

I feel that if one loves what is going on in his life and love what he is doing .. he or she is prosperous .. =)

Tristan

Personally, I prefer the whole prosperity package. I really think that money gives me access to happiness. And this happens if we have higher goals than money itself.
Maybe she’s quite happy I do not doubt, but what if she had more than what she already has? Maybe people just fear of what other people say and prefer to stay with lower incomes and play the victim-virtuous-helping-other-victims part.
Love ya*Blessings***

I think she can be prosperous but ,she is not.because if she had a
prosperous lifestyle, certainly her brother was feeling that and join her and they could leave an impression on the others to change their lifes to a prosperous lifestyle, not just by helping poor people even more than that by changing their minds.
Anyway I think she feels happy because she does everything she wants but it hard for her to have whatever she wants so something is wrong.
Thank you Randy, I can’t wait to hear from you.

The key for me is that she only asks for a small amount of salary because of her donors – which is a lack mentality not a prosperous one.

She could earn a small salary from that… Yet create a program for sale that generated residual income in showing others how she works so that she got more money outside of her donors.

Poverty thinking – for me – is believing that money has one specific limited source that you are dependent and stuck in… Whether you love the work or not.

Prosperous thinking is knowing that the Universe will deliver the money from infinite sources, in infinite ways without limits…

The only one who can say for sure if she is prosperous is her. It is a state of mind. However, I agree with Miklos and Natalie, that she does seem to have some concerns about keeping her salary small, which does imply a lack mentality. But then again, we are not hearing directly from her, we are hearing the story from her relative, who is filtering it through his own perspective. Maybe she would explain it differently.

Isn’t she feelings victim itself? if she’s felt victim, she’s not achieve
prosperity.

Yes, I believe she is absolutely prosperous! Prosperity isn’t just financial but rest assured our Creator most certainly prospers her life because of the divine law of sowing and giving. There are so many ways to prosper. Prosperity is equivalent to increase. I believe that if we did an inventory of her life, we would fine that she is prospering in many different areas of her life from favor to spiritual to housing and doors being opened for her that may not otherwise be opened if she hadn’t 1st used the divine key of sowing to open them.

Gregory

Like most people on this discussion, I would say she is not prosperous.

We all have things we want to do in our lives – ways in which we feel called to contribute back to society.

Money is the instrument which we are to govern to provide that contribution.

There’s not enough, just enough, or more than enough.

Prosperity falls under the ‘more than enough’ category.

If she was prosperous, she would have ‘more than enough’ to fulfill her desire to contribute. The fact that she draws only a small income shows that there is (at best) just enough.

This could be speculation though…

Fact more importantly points to her not taking more of a salary because of what others might think of her. This is a sign of a dominant ‘lack mentality’.

To close, Wallace Wattles states,
… all charity only tends to perpetuate the wretchedness it aims to eradicate.
and later
… If you want to help the poor, demonstrate to them that they can become rich; prove it by getting rich yourself.
… then aim to show them how.

She should master prosperity, then provide THAT to the poor, not mere charities.

But these are my two cents. (ahggh!! I mean that figuratively – not in the context of poverty!!)

I would say that she’s prosperous in many ways, but maybe not completely.
Abundance is something that we should enjoy in all areas of our lives…spiritually, emotionally, physically, financially, etc.
She is probably limiting herself by believing that she cannot ask for donations if she herself were more wealthy…
But she definitely is experiencing prosperity in many ways. Getting them all is the challenge that all of us face.
Just my thoughts…
Thanks for the post
MS

I think to be truly prosperous you should be happy with absolutley every aspect of your life and that includes money of course. If she has no want or need for more money and is truly in bliss with her current situation i say yes she is prosperous. There are very few people who don’t need money to make them happy, so if she’s one of them. good for her!

I believe we are each on our own path towards prosperity & we can take the next step towards prosperity when we choose to. As we progress towards prosperity we may realize we didn’t dream big enough or set big enough goals. Becoming aware that we want more can drive us to set new & bigger goals.

I wish her the prosperity that God wants us all to have.

Mmm … as I’ve heard you say many times Mr. Gage, “that dog don’t hound” … True prosperity means true prosperity, and that is ALL areas of life. Financial freedom is just one of them, and a very important one.

She is enjoying a great deal of prosperity in many areas of her life, and that’s great for her, and for all people she is helping, but if her perception about her income is “can’t be greater because is hard to ask for it to the donors”, then she is not being provided with the infinite abundance she deserves.

Who said a big company CEO should draw a big salary and small charity director should not? As we all know, prosperity is a value for value exchange. If she is providing her community with such a great service, she should then receive a great income. Not just health, inner peace and joyful relationships, but financial freedom.

Lastly, I have come to the conclusion that mastery of material manifestation is due in the process of manifesting true prosperity in all areas of life. I can dig Richard Branson, Bill Gates or Randy Gage, enjoying true prosperity in retiring to a “small living” after mastering the manifestation of substance in abundant amounts of material goods as they have done. I feel we can’t say that about a person who haven’t mastered such abilities, such the good lady in our case study.

Looking forward to Randy’s thoughts on this one.

Much prosperity and abundance to you all! Jose

The lady draws a very small salary, because she believes it would be hard to ask for donations from people if she took home a large one.

She is not properious … “because … she believes it would be hard to ask … ” this is Lack and Limited belief at work.

cheers,

I use a definition of wealth that Catherine Ponder discussed in Dynamic Laws of Prosperity: “experiencing peace, health, and plenty in my life.”

My question is focused on the “peace and plenty” section: does this lady feel her financial means are supplying all her needs with a healthy margin that allows her to acquire what she *wants*?

If I lived in this lady’s situation of living one’s dream, good health and relationships, etc, I would still deem this situation “not prosperous” by my standards, mostly because I sense a hesitancy to ask for fiscal prosperity as well as hesitancy to enjoy money in her story.

I was a Chief Financial Officer for a religious group in California, dealing with tax law and correct handling of donations, so I look at this situation a little differently. Right now I am thinking of my current church’s financial situation. The minister’s salary and benefits package are budgeted into the church financial statements, just like the other expenses related to running a ministry, such as physical building requirements and church activities. We don’t expect our minister to beg for funds to support a comfortable living situation. Instead, we want her to be well taken care of, since she’s on nearly 24 hour call to tend to her church members’ spiritual needs.

were not the great men in the bible prosperious with wealth and yet they helped others

By every definition and synonym of prosperous she is not. Perhaps one could make a case for her building a ‘treasure’ somewhere else but even that says she is not prosperous now.

However and for whatever reasons people have justified and or resorted to all kinds of practices that often only make absolute sense to them and the people around them. This is all second hand and is an interesting puzzle, however the real question is, is she successful?

Og Mandino wrote; Which two, among a thousand wise men, will define success in the same words; yet failure is always described but one way. Failure is man’s inability to reach his goals in life, whatever they may be.

She appears to be a success and then who knows maybe she is not. Only she can tell.

The subject for me is not about how come so many choose or remain proud of their being poor… It really is theirs to choose. I am interested in what would have the only son of a Bill Gates give it all up to be destitute and poor. I have studied the life of St Francis of Assisi and theirs is a tale to tell and again we only have it second hand.

I think she is 50% prosperous….she needs all aspects that includes financial prosperity to be really whole!!!

thanks

gene
philippines

I believe that you can live a prosperous life in anything that you truly are meant to be doing. However, I have to wonder what she could accomplish if she accepted more income. So many times I think that we feel we are being generous by living a meek and lowly life and giving of our time and talents which is truly great. However, what could we do if we excelled in a business that provided millions of dollars. Could we or would we do more with the extra funds? It is true of all organizations that take contributions, without a capitalist system in place that creates profits, no one would be able to give. I guess I believe that we should generate all the income that we possibly can so that we can truly make a difference with our gifts of money as well as time and talents. Without funds not much gets accomplished or changed. America is a great example of what wealth can provide. Just look who took the lead in the tragedy in Haiti. America did!!!!

I like Alan Weiss’s definition: Prosperity is having discretionary time. I’ve expanded that a bit to be discretionary time, discretionary cash, and the health to enjoy them both.

I would use that example as a definition for “Prosperous”!

Joe

Randy, I believe she is POOR in her thinking when it comes to her finances.

There is a difference in mindset between poor and broke.

Seems like she could definitely provide the opportunity for others to contribute more.

Often if you want something, you need to ask for it.

It’s low self worth to think a large donation or salary would ruin her work.

If Randy needs your money, so does she! :-)

I have been looking at this puzzle for the last day. It occurred to me on my morning walk she, like many people, believe in the ‘because’ and when I returned this morning there it is… “because she believes it would …” I am poor because… I did x because… I couldn’t do x because…

Because is a poor explanation at best and normally a lie, an excuse or a limiting belief designed to reduce the risk of living a life of your dreams. She models a behavior for others to emulate, play small, be small, live on the minimum or less, don’t complain, suffer for the cause… It is very attractive to many because [here's the lie] make up your own excuse or reason… you already do.

What would happen IF you stopped using the word because? The quickest way to remove most of them is stop asking why?

Interesting question and comments.

No one knows, from the few lines in the question, what goes on in this woman’s life. There simply isn’t enough information to get a definite answer.

I throw out some Butterworth here -

“Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things.”

You are the only person who knows if you are prospering.

Great question, Randy.

Beyond the value of the question for each of us, I so enjoyed reading the posted answers. I learned more from the answers than from any blog posting I have ever read…and I have read a ton.

The answers confirm that prosperity…like so many “rich” words…means very different things to different people. Very, very different things.

Your case study seems to suggest that this woman is concerned about some economic issues. If she is concerned, then she is not yet experiencing all dimensions of prosperity, notwithstanding her leading an admirable life.

Thanks also for reminding me of the power of asking great questions.

Hi Randy,
Thanks for the subject matter. As a neophyte to prosperity thinking I was very interested in observing my thoughts, you know what is my “€ruth?” The 1st real question that came to mind is, is she helping broke people in S. America or poor people?

Then I thought truly what does it matter? If she’s afraid to manifest money for herself, she’s not really helping anyone-she’s giving away money.

Her sister says she’s happy-but is that only in her work? If she were truly happy-why even mention the salary, whatever the size?

Because lack of money may be an issue for her, i.e. how is she managing her bills? What is her lifestyle? is she going without because her “small salary” doesn’t go very far?

How can that begin to be prosperous?

Thanks again Randy- You Rock!

Peace & Prosperity,
Derrick

Her prosperity is a true wealth that “money”, “possessions”, and “success” are only a mirage of. May her tribe increase!!!

Prosperous? I don’t think so. She is however living a meaningful and fulfilling life by doing something she loves and which brings her happiness. However, she could certainly do even more good by drawing a larger salary, a large portion of which she’d most likely give back. The river of reciprocity certain flows quicker when the source is a waterfall and not a trickle …

Best to you,
Scott

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Randy Gage, Randy Gage, Randy Gage, Randy Gage, BobBurg and others. BobBurg said: In this article, @Randy_Gage asks, "What Is True Prosperity?" http://bit.ly/cseeCB [...]

Even though she is happy, I think she is having a lack consciousness because she is afraid to receive all what might be possible for her.
Perhaps if she accepted all she might deserve for her work, she might have a different posture and might do even a better job, may be she could attend more people, may expand to other countries, make her dream even bigger.
It all depends on what your prosperity consciousness is willing to receive.
Best wishes.

Felipe

My take? She has prosperity in the spiritual branch of her life. She has prosperity in the mental branch. She has prosperity is the relational branch. She has prosperity in the physical branch.

But…
she does not have prosperity in the financial branch.

I think this reveals a flawed mindset, one that is shared by so many. Which is, that material wealth is not a spiriitual pursuit. The truth is: all goals are spiritual goals. Why?

Because it all comes from the same source – that infinite field of possibility. That makes a lamborghini just as “spiritual” as the mortar and bricks her charity is built upon.

But kudos for this brilliant woman who is doing such honourable work, who has engaged her passion, her talent, her heart and soul to GIVE. Giving is where the receiving starts.

Most of us spend our entire lives focused on the financial, to the detriment to the four other branches of life. This lovely woman has managed to get 4 out of the 5 alligned…and that makes her more prosperous than most people I know.

Thanks for sharing her story Randy, and for asking such a compelling question.

One thing that Catherine Ponder recommends in her book, “The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity’” is that instead of thinking that you have to ‘put up with’ dissatisfaction in your life as a permanent arrangement, use your ‘no’ power by declaring often:

‘No, I do not have to accept this situation. Gos in His Almighty Goodness is dissolving and removing all negation from my world. No situation dismays me, for God the Spirit of Good is with me, upholding and sustaining me and making all things right.’

For financial affairs, here is a prayer of denial:
‘Regardless of taxes, the cost of living, or the rate of unemployent, my financial income can and does increase richly now through the direct action of God.”

Catherine Ponder recommends after you use your “no” power, then use your “Yes” power to affirm new good.

For example:
“God prospers me now.”
(The Law of Command)

Great Thoughts in post and comments.

WOW Prosperity like all things is what we each make for ourselves.

I wonder if Mother Teresa ever had the thought of if she was being paid enough?? I don’t think so, yet she was surrounded by prosperity in spirit and in the connections she made through her work that had access to enough money to make a difference.

A great adage I live by is “its not what you do, its what you get done” so applicable to NM and life.

[...] Let’s get back to the question I raised on the last post. I ask it BTW, because I have some mixed feelings on it myself… [...]

I don’t know why brains work this way…but it seems that people who are in a strong financial position get more donations. Maybe looking successful is a large part of it, that people want to back a team that already seems to be winning. Why the woman would deny herself that advantage is beyond me.

PS: I LOVE LOVE LOVE how much thought and response this topic has garnered! Way to go, people…we don’t learn and expand if we don’t share experiences, so keep ‘em coming!

ABSOLUTELY! Remember the Biblical example of Jesus travelling into Jerusalem. He needed a donkey, and told His disciples exactly where to find one. When He had need of it, it was there for His use. Likewise, when He had need of money to pay the temple tribute, He instructed Peter to pull the coin out of the mouth of the fish. Jesus lived a simple life, but He had precisely what He needed. Always. This is prosperity…to live in God’s blessing and grace, and be provided for as you have need. To attempt to say that this woman is “poor” because she makes $x per month is to attempt to quantify prosperity. It would be equally ludicrous to say that Randy Gage is prosperous now but was not 5 years ago, because he was not making as much then. No. To be prosperous is to live with faith, hope, and love, and to be always in God’s favor, to receive from Him precisely as we have need.

I would like to add that, if this lady ever felt that she were “suffering” or “being noble,” then, no, she would not be prosperous. (I’ve known 6-figure doctors who feel this way–so it is not the amount a person makes that creates this condition.) However, if she is truly content, and her joy is complete with what she has and what she is doing, then she is prosperous in all ways.

If her job consists solely of raising donations and spreading them between the poor, she makes the devil’s work:
she does nothing to teach the poor to fish, neither gives the rod. She only gives away the fish itself (and in strictly measured amounts too).

And her having only a very limited salary means one thing:
she’s not only immensely proud of her “generous” life, but also infinitely afraid to do anything, anything that may speck it.

Poor thing she is, both finantially, and spiritually.

To add to the above, if she did not only “love” her job, but strive to help people truly, she would rather start a fund which would help these women find the way to make their living themselves.

The difference lies in her fear to do anything above the “agreeable” to the society.

I believe this lady, although appearing on the outside to “have it all together”, is limiting herself.
She is taking home a small salary because she doesn’t believe that she deserves a larger one. So in reality, she’s not prosperous.
Thanks again for another thought provoking rant!
Claire