How does the idea of having more money than you need make you feel? Take out a pen and paper and write this down:

I want to be wealthy so that I can ______________________.

To reach my goal, I am willing to sacrifice the following: _____________________.

My husband and I often discuss these two questions to better understand our mission and keep ourselves in check:
We want to be wealthy so that we can ‘point blank’ enrich our lives and give back to the community. We believe that each person has a responsibility to give back to society. My husband wants to make a positive contribution to alternative energy, more intelligent use of resources like wind, and ideas like the electric car. In other words, he wants to work against the major oil companies and car manufacturers; which obviously translates into low-paying work. At the same time, he wants to support our family, we both want to get more education, and we want to travel (he’s from Germany. What could we do to even afford live there a few years?). I think of all of the volunteer activities I’d like to do, all of the really cool but no money jobs I’d like to try, pro bono work I want to offer, and how much time I want to devote to my future family the way my mom dedicated herself to me.

Can a person hold wealth and still hold integrity? Your thoughts establish the role of money in your life. I only hope that through Aridni, we can help readers establish a positive, ethical means to their ultimate dream.

For question two, my husband and I figure we are risking only two things with our investment strategies: security and time.

If we or you feel fearful, uncertainty is going to take control. If you feel good about yourself and the efforts you are making, your positive ideas can cultivate more change and more satisfaction. I hope that Aridni generates more people like my husband who want to find a way to dedicate themselves to change our country desperately needs. With fuel prices alone, I’m sure you can agree. All I know is that I had more cheaters in my college business ethics 400-level class than any other class. How can we live that way?

Pull out your piece of (recycled?) paper one more time and answer the following:
Do you make/want to make money by creating for other people or by competing and cheating other people?

Do you devote yourself to the highest good, not just for yourself, but for as many people as you can touch?

Would you get satisfaction signing up for multiple rewards cards from companies who don’t catch your trickery because it means more money for you?

Do your methods of making money imply selfishness and greed in the eyes of others?

Does every dollar that you make equal a dollar that another person loses?

And finally, years from now, if you were to teach a thousand people how to become wealthy the way you did, would you have done these people and society a disservice?

In your quest for wealth, remember to give. Exhaust yourself in personal sacrifice.