Are You Greedy for Fame, Money and Power?

A student of mine recently told me, “I want all the three-fame, money and power.” This gave rise to a question in my mind, "Is there something wrong in desiring fame, money and power?" In my opinion, it is very human to desire fame (to differentiate ourselves from the crowds around us), money (to live a comfortable life) and power (to control people rather than be controlled)

But fame makes us heady, money makes us proud and power corrupts us. It happens because our intentions to get fame, money and power are often selfish and sometimes devilish. But if a person desires fame (I should be famous for my good deeds and positivity), money (to serve self as well as society) and power (to feel strong and capable of taking care of family as well as the needy) with noble intentions, there is nothing wrong with the desire for fame, money and power. As they say fame, money and power are good servants and bad masters.

Dr Daisaku Ikeda, Buddhist Leader says, “The glory and magnificence of human life are so great that they are impossible to measure in terms of money, fame and power. An individual possesses intelligence and desire to create, the ability to think, love and have compassion, the need to seek the truth, a conscience and a sense of justice, a courageous spirit and unyielding determination.” Dr Ikeda also says that desires lead to enlightenment. When we pray to God to meet our desires, at some point when most of our desires have been met, we start feeling satisfied and start thinking beyond self.

When we are born we are blessed with all these qualities and one by one we start losing them because of wrong education, improper parenting, loss of purity of soul and social pressures of rat race. As the saying goes, even if you win the race, you are still a rat.

But if a person discovers his passion and purpose in life, gives his mind, body and soul to it and is ready to face the struggles of walking the unbeaten path, he is bound to achieve perfect and everlasting happiness. But it is easier said than done. Even if we take the risk of leaving a cosy job and jump into a passionate profession, often we end up as losers due to lack of perseverance and sometimes lack of faith in god and ourselves.

Azriela Jaffe’s ‘Create your own luck’ and Rhonda Byrne’s ‘The Secret’ both talk of how we can create luck by sending positive vibes and energy to the universe, by giving to the society with an open heart and being flooded with abundance in return. But if one gives with the expectation of being flooded in return will only get misery by treating the process of joyful giving as business with expected high return on investment. Same thing is being talked of as blue ocean strategy in corporate world which fundamentally means moving from a mentality of fighting for limited resources to harnessing the unlimited wealth of the universe.

Fame, money and power give only temporary happiness to most people and rather make them insecure and stressed with a fear of losing them. That’s why I pray to God, “Give me fame, money and power, but before giving these, give me the wisdom to handle them”

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Dr Amit Nagpal is a Personal Branding Consultant with a holistic touch. To know more about him click here:-
http://www.dramitnagpal.co.in/p/about-us.html
He may be reached at amitknagpal@gmail.com