Living a Life of Being vs. Looking

By Jeremiah Carstarphen

See all Articles by Jeremiah CarstarphenSee Jeremiah Carstarphen's Expert PageGet Updates on Home BusinessGet Updates on Jeremiah Carstarphen

When I was working out every day, I was able to bench press almost 400 pounds. I looked strong and healthy, but since I am naturally a small guy, I developed the habit of over eating junk food to put on weight.
I had a mini-stroke shortly after at age 34. Although I looked healthy, I obviously was not. This article talks about the difference between looking and being.
After I had my mini-stroke, I made a decision to live my life to be, and not to look. Now I care more about being healthy, than trying to look strong and healthy just to impress the opposite sex.
When I saw my first network marketing presentation, as a broke college student back in 1995, I actually believed that I could become rich for the first time in my life.
I spent the next decade chasing that dream, and being susceptible to “get rich quick” money making opportunities.
All of my efforts ended up with me being homeless in January of 2010. All I had to show for a decade of chasing the money, and trying to get rich, was a big pile of stuff.
I made some money, but I never learned how to manage my money. I also developed the habit of spending money on stuff. I made a decision, in that warehouse, to spend the next decade accumulating assets, and to become rich.
I learned how to manage my money, by playing the game Cash Flow.
I learned that rich people buy assets like real estate, businesses, and/or commodities. Poor people spend their money on doodads or stuff.
This is why I would rather save my money for a few months and pay cash for an economical automobile, instead of spending $1,000 per month on a car that makes it look like I am doing good financially.
That is also why I would rather pay cash for an inexpensive phone and avoid a contract, instead of getting the latest new phone for free, when I sign my life away to a 2-year contract.
A lot of network marketers say that they want to be financially free. Some will even say that they want to be rich.
If you want to be rich, are you being rich, by buying the things that rich people buy, or are you spending your money on liabilities that make you look rich?
I know that some religious people must think that I am the Devil himself, because I do not sing church hymns at the top of my lungs, say God’s name in every other sentence, or read the Bible regularly.
If I did those things, then I would look like I have a relationship with God, and those religious people would stop judging me.
However, there is a difference between looking like you have a relationship with God, and actually having one.
It is hard to live your life to look. It is almost like you are living a lie. I know because I did that already.
I would rather live the rest of my life to be.
Much Success,