The Way to Wealth

Author: Berin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: The Chairman of the World Wheelchair Foundation, Kenneth Berin, once had everything from the poor in rural Wisconsin during the Great Depression to being ranked as one of the 400 richest people in America by Forbes. The Chairman of the World Wheelchair Foundation, Kenneth Berin, tells a story of a journey from poverty to wealth. He owned a home, countless classic cars, a plane, and even his own. But some things were disappearing. Join Kenneth Berin on his journey of discovery, from poor African and Eastern European hospitals to the battlefield in Afghanistan, and travel with him along the path to his goals. Giving a regular wheelchair not only changed the life of the recipient but also changed his own life—how will it change your life? Mr. Berin has so generously given us these wheelchairs, and I am very happy. Asking for help is one thing, but when someone comes to you, gives you something, and does not expect anything in return, it is a reflection of genuine kindness to the people of South Africa. —Former President of South Africa, Mandela
I was born when people smiled and I cried. I hope that when I die, people will cry and I will smile. —Anonymous
I am a simple person, living a simple life, and have learned a simple lesson in life. I was born into poverty. But I will die rich—knowing that my wealth is more than I ever dreamed of as a child. In the eyes of the world, I have achieved the "American Dream" and climbed to the pinnacle of my dreams. However, looking back at all the glories of my career, I realize that building a career is easier than true success—finding the purpose of life is more important than making money itself. A goal is something that requires your heart, time, love, and money to create a better life for humanity—without expecting anything in return. Our world is filled with such men and women, who have no real goals or higher aspirations beyond just increasing their bank balances. Some spend their entire lives chasing money, yet most of the time, they achieve nothing. Others earn so much money that they cannot spend it all, yet they do not live to see the companies they own. Both these types of people work tirelessly toward what they believe is happiness. But they are all wrong. I know how they think and live. The desire for wealth once blinded me to everything I might lose. In every moment I was busy chasing the goals I could achieve—making money—I had no time to notice what I was losing, and what could only be appreciated with the heart. Frankly, I have not done well in the emotional aspect. But I know that some people do it very well—they manage to overcome contradictions, fears, and the pressures of pursuing material wealth, and they discover the "good angel" in their nature that Abraham Lincoln once called. So, I know that I too could change. I call these fortunate few "goal-oriented people." They are driven by a mission, dedicated to a higher cause, and guided by a direction that gives meaning to their lives. They face every day with faith and vitality, caring more about living a meaningful life than about pursuing wealth and status. I have also learned that everyone can become one of these "goal-oriented people." Anyone can become a member of this wonderful club. This right is not innate; it is not achieved through good fortune or overnight success; it has nothing to do with money but is closely tied to finding and supporting happiness. Not happiness, but joy. It is simple. After Forbes listed me as one of the 400 richest people in America, it took me a long time to find my life's purpose. It appeared when my children had already grown up—when they were adults with their own children—after I had built my own city, owned a professional, and lived a luxurious life. Before finding my goal, I foolishly believed that the material success I so desperately craved would bring me satisfaction. I began to realize that it was in the year 2000, when I picked up a Vietnamese girl from the ground and placed her in a wheelchair. In that instant, she seemed to see hope. In that instant, I saw what was happening: a body confined by disability was finally able to move. I saw this little girl start to envision a future she had never dared to dream of. She smiled, her eyes as bright as the noon sky. I knew that for that moment, all the changes she had made, I had changed a lot. I remember, for the first time in my life, I felt joy. To maintain that feeling, I was willing to do anything I could. Giving her a wheelchair did not break me financially or drain me of energy—I did something that anyone can do. Open your heart, connect with others through a kind act, and it is such a simple process. The journey toward your goal is not difficult. I believe, as they say, it starts like this: We usually follow the path of more—better—different. We start by desiring more. When we were children, teenagers, or young adults just starting out, all we wanted was to get more and get it faster. For someone like me, who grew up poor, the basic necessities of life were what I dreamed of as a child—simple things like hot water and indoor bathrooms！（One of the reasons I was so passionate about football in high school was that the school was the only place where I could take a hot shower！）Once the basic needs were met, we started saving money to buy our own cars, houses, and other things. Once we had enough, we wanted better. For adults, it might be a good car, a nice house, good furniture, a stylish outfit, or other comfortable pleasures. But we are still not satisfied, so we start to desire living in a good neighborhood, more expensive cars and jewelry, or vacations to more exotic places. As time passes and our incomes rise—perhaps our children have also grown up and left home—many of us still feel unsatisfied, so we turn to seeking things that are different: not just living in a good neighborhood, but the best house in the best neighborhood; not just an expensive car, but the most expensive, most luxurious one; not just a pleasant vacation, but a weekend villa at a ski resort. If we are lucky and accumulate enough money to never run out, we will aim for the lifestyle of the rich and famous. No house will seem too expensive to us, and we hope to own a 10,000-square-foot penthouse on Park Avenue in Manhattan; we no longer want an expensive car, but one like the Aston Martin that James Bond drives in the movies; a vacation will no longer be just pleasant, but we will want to enjoy the pleasure of visiting the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg all to ourselves. For me, being different means collecting top-class classic cars, acquiring a professional, owning a private yacht, and having a private DC-9 aircraft. But no matter how much I accumulate and experience more, better, and different things, my heart remains empty. No one has ever talked to me about or described the concept of a goal, but I instinctively felt that something was disappearing. I was once selfish, thinking that "material possessions" could bring me happiness. How much better it would have been if I had understood and experienced the meaning of a goal earlier. The "goal-oriented people" have surpassed more, better, and different. They have realized that life has a fourth stage beyond these three—and so far, the most important one: a goal. I deeply regret the years I wasted before finding my goal—not because I was not eager to seek it, but because I initially thought that making more money was the goal. In fact, I put the ladder against the wrong wall and climbed to the top before realizing my mistake. Unconsciously, I realized that after achieving material success, I had no idea where to find true happiness. My story is about an ordinary person who achieved extraordinary material success, did some simple things, and discovered the true source of joy through an unexpected turn of events. This story is about my journey, my discovery. I have written it around the four stages of life mentioned above, with the hope of helping you avoid making the same mistakes I did. I also hope to help you on the path to your goal, to help you find your own goal, and I can help you experience your own joy, to cherish and preserve it. Come with me to that wonderful place—your goal is there.