Monday, August 5, 1996

The essence of value

Recently, I heard a young boy on television make the comment that “If I were President, I’d give everybody enough money to buy whatever they want."

As wonderful as this might sound at first blush, such a policy would be a complete disaster. If everyone could receive all the money they needed, without working, then there would be nothing to buy with that money. No one would work to produce the goods and services. Money would be meaningless.

The value of money, or of anything else, depends on the effort that must be expended to get it. A diamond and a pebble are both rocks, but diamonds are much more valuable because they are so hard to find. If diamonds were as plentiful as common pebbles, they would be virtually worthless.

There simply are no shortcuts. It is the effort needed to acquire a diamond that makes it so valuable. It is the work necessary to acquire it that gives money its value.

Life itself is that way, too. It is only worth what you put into it. A life of value and fulfillment is possible only you are willing to put forth an effort and give of yourself.

Don’t cheat yourself out of life by trying to get “something for nothing.” Your life is worth exactly what you put into it.

— Ralph Marston

Stand up and stand out       You never know...

Copyright ©1996 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. All Rights Reserved. The Daily Motivator is provided for your personal, non-commercial use only. Other than personal sharing, please do not re-distribute without permission.