Prosperity Is About More Than A Decent Living

How About An Indecent Amount Of Money?

It just came up in one of my coaching sessions. The client was reminiscing about a time back in the 1980s when he was making “decent money.” I immediately interrupted him and said, in effect, “That’s nothing to brag about–what’s wrong with making some “indecent money?” Like those executives with the huge bonuses on Wall Street, about whom people say, “What an obscene amount of money he makes.” “Decent money” is a limiting concept, as if you need to not offend or incite someone who doesn’t think you deserve to earn that much that easily. I want to go far beyond earning a decent living, far beyond making decent money, and demonstrate that someone producing large piles of money can be a very decent person. In fact, I have found that a decent person making an indecent amount of money can be a pretty decent human being much more easily than can an
indecent human being earning just a decent amount.

And this is more than mere semantics. It’s about labelling your intention–an important aspect of an evolving prosperity consciousness.

And while I fully expect to earn an indecent amount of money, I’m not there just yet. But the whole concept has inspired some of the cartoon gags I supply for four top magazine cartoonists. Like:

TEEN BOY TO FATHER:
“So, do you think the obscene executive salaries and indecent bonuses will come back by the time I get my MBA?”

BOSS HOLDING REPORT AS HE SPEAKS TO EMPLOYEE:
“There’s one thing you don’t seem to understand, Barton, I get the huge bonuses so I don’t have to pay attention to even the good ideas from employees.”

I remember in one workshop having a participant say he would really like to own a Rolls Royce, but would be embarrassed driving it to the homeless shelter where he volunteered several times a month. I told him that was his issue, not that of the homeless people, who would probably flock around his luxury ride with lots of “Oohs” and “Ahhs”. You worry about resentment from those less fortunate? Then teach them how they too can achieve your level of success. My old friend, the late, provocative, and controversial Reverend Ike, was a great example of this. He did not hide his expensive cars or multiple homes from the lower income members of his church. He used these as props to inspire them “If I can do it, you can do it.” And it worked. I personally met several of his church members who made the amazing transition from being on welfare to being millionaires.

Of course, there is no such thing as “indecent money” or “decent money”. Only indecent people and decent people–and it has little to do with the amount of money either makes.

And this coming holiday season, I am ready, willing, and able to receive any indecent gifts.

Jerry