Ethical Wealth Creation Makes Abundance For the World
... but they left that part out in school.
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I want to break some barriers and walls with this topic.
I want to talk about the intersection of money, wealth, ethics, integrity and creativity.
Why?
Because the education system does not necessarily teach young minds how to...
Cultivate more creativity with their internal gifts (their soul)
Incorporate philosophy, meaning and understanding from principles, morals and values
Make independent decisions that take all parties into consideration (critical thinking)
Understand economics as a means for bringing value to the world and receiving ample compensation in return, all while operating with integrity, ingenuity, respect and precision.
Life is not compartmentalized into a few areas of concentration…
it’s a wildly integrative experience intersecting the totality of our being and bringing forth our gifts responsibly while learning how stay connected to our soul for continuing guidance.
When we break up life into small pieces such as earning money, or creating art, or building the body, we can sometimes forget that sum total of all of these pieces work together.
The reason I bring up the “sum total” of all the pieces is because if we get too concentrated in one area, we may forget to incorporate our overall values and principles… we may get disconnected from our totality.
For example, a person who begins to earn more money for their gifts, may become focused on, well, more… thereby rushing to build momentum faster without incorporating precision, integrity or the very principles that governed their overall behavior.
It’s natural.
Humans will be humans will be humans.
Meaning, humans can sometimes get distracted by any one occurrence, or set of occurrences, abandon their “connected selves” and operate from an “unprotected” mind (disconnected from oneself).
When this happens, we can sometimes compromise our values.
Instead… I propose ethical wealth creation…
combining independent concepts that govern our “systems” to create value for the world fostering a sense of responsibility and stewardship towards society without abandoning moral principles…
all while prioritizing long-term interests, innovation, progress and opportunities.
Money, coupled with accountability, used with great intentions, and fostered by creativity, has the power to positively impact generations to come.
Wealth, as we like to understand it, can vary depending on the context and the cultural or societal norms of a particular group or region… encompasses a range of tangible and intangible assets that contribute to an individual's well-being, financial security and their positive impact on others.
Ethics, formed by moral principles and values, guide behavior and decision-making for both the individual and all whom come in contact with their being.
Now, while I believe ethics and principles can vary based on culture, I do believe there are some universal ones that everyone can agree on, such as:
Respect
Honesty
Responsibility
Accountability
Trustworthiness
Integrity
So, as we move further into a “creator economy,” or an era in which a person can take their individual talents, leverage the Internet to help others and create wealth from serving at scale… we must look at a few key concepts…
In a zero-sum game where one wins and one loses, the inevitable is that everyone loses.
Creativity, integrity, societal gain and wealth are not mutually exclusive, they are paramount to abundance & prosperity.
Transparency, respect & integrity is far more profitable as a positive-sum game enjoyed by all parties involved
Let’s dive in👇🏼
In a Zero-Sum Game Where One Wins & One Loses, the Inevitable is That Everyone Loses
What is a “Zero-Sum” Game?
It is defined as a situation in which whatever is gained by one side is lost by the other.
Now, if any of you have been observing behavior over the past so many decades, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that we’ve witnessed quite a bit of “zero-sum” behavior.
We’ve seen it in our systems, institutions, organizations and more.
The issue with zero-sum behavior is not just in the short-term where one wins and one loses, but even more so in the long term where the one standing alone has now depleted themselves of people, money and resources because they didn’t serve the greater good, but the instant gratification.
Zero-Sum games have an expiration. As Naval Ravikant said,
Don’t play zero-sum games. Play positive-sum games with positive-sum games people.
The goal with ethical wealth creation is the opposite of a zero-sum game mentality…
in ethical wealth creation you’re looking to create thriving, sustainable “systems,” behaviors and monetary rewards that continue building upon themselves while impacting all who participate with that set of activities.
👇🏼
Creativity, Integrity, Societal Gain & Wealth Are Not Mutually Exclusive, They Are Paramount to Abundance & Prosperity
First, let me define the term “mutually exclusive.”
Mutually exclusive describes two or more events that cannot happen simultaneously. It is commonly used to describe a situation where the occurrence of one outcome supersedes the other. (Investopedia)
Because wealth creation typically involved only a few (hence it needs to be taught in school), the idea of “many” sometimes eludes the big picture.
When we teach people to use their creativity and gifts, coupled with honesty and respect, and how to make systems and processes repeat value to the people they serve, we create a more prosperous, abundant and sovereign society that relies on each other to continuously deliver.
Of course, the irony to a previous “perfectionist,” “only show the results,” “don’t show the process” business model, is that transparency, respect and integrity now drive more profit because people prefer trust.👇🏼
Transparency, Respect & Integrity is Far More Profitable as a Positive-Sum Game Enjoyed By All Parties Involved
Bottom line, people buy from people.
And in the age of the Internet, it’s pretty easy to see who you’d prefer to buy from.
When we are transparent, show the process, respect our work and the people who consume our products and services and follow through on our value delivery, we are far more profitable.
The people who consume what we offer receive value, and in return, continue to come back for more because of the relationship we cultivated through trust and respect.
In MBA school they taught customer lifetime value, but they did so based solely on numbers… dollars from their repeat purchases.
The part they left out was how much greater a business does overall from including the intangibles such as trust, respect and honesty.
We cannot break things solely down into numbers or we forget the sum total working together.
Perhaps they’ll add that into the future of education once it’s reconstructed to play positive-sum games.
Simplify, Multiply, Diversify below…👇🏼
SIMPLIFY…
Transparency is the greatest marketing of all. You don’t have to look over your shoulder to cover your tracts and your honesty sells you more.
People don’t expect perfect… they expect truth. Be honest and you can’t lose.
MULTIPLY…
Wealth games that are win-win-win provide value and accountability. When those two collide with any individual, more wealth is generated.
DIVERSIFY…
Wealth involves creativity. Creativity has no boundaries. Without boundaries, wealth can be generated in nearly everything we create.
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In the meantime, tell your friends!
Matt, you are so correct!! The education system falls so far short. Imagine if every young person had instilled in them these principles you mentioned, a different world it would be. I’m here for the MJG Center for Soul Development, honoring the totality of you. Boom. 🔥😂👌🏽
I love everything you shared about positive sum games. It’s my first time hearing about all of this, but it makes so much sense, especially the way you explained it. ;)
I also love how you talk about a more prosperous, abundant, sovereign society that relies on each other to continuously deliver. What a visual!
Thanks again for an incredible newsletter, Matt!!
Have an amazing day!