What is it worth to you?

There are certain people in this life that try to focus on one thing as what "defines" them. Some people are obsessed with their bodies and health. Some people focus solely on collecting objects (cars, houses, "shiny" things). Some only think about their careers and how to make it to that next rung up the corporate ladder (I work with some of these). Some are all about money, making money, having money, making more money.

I was taken back recently by a news article I read. A German named Adolf Merckle had started in business in 1967 when he took over his family business, which employed about 80 people. Since then the business had grown, and done very well. With his leadership the company is now a conglomerate of 120 separate companies that at present employ around 100,000 people and have revenues of 30 billion euros. In 2007 he is listed in the top 50 richest people on the Forbes list.

Adolf's companies have fallen on hard times recently, as many companies have. He asked for help from several banks to obtain loans to help keep these companies viable. He did not find any banks that were willing to help him.

With his identity being solely focused on building his companies, he did not think there was anything else more important in life.




I wonder if this was still in his thoughts when he left his home on Monday night and intentionally walked in front of a speeding train?




What he thought defined him as a person were the companies he ran. Did he have any hobbies? Did he have a favorite movie? Did he do anything for himself?

I feel that we need to have a balance in our lives. We cannot focus on one thing and expect that to define who we are as a person.

We can have a job, or a career, but it should be something that we enjoy doing. If you enjoy what you do, it doesn't seem as much like "work". I was once told that the secret of succeeding in business is "Find something that you would enjoy doing any other day of the year, and then get someone to pay you to do that".

We can build our lives around appearances, but when it comes down to it the only other people that focus on our appearances are other people that obsess about their appearances. Those who focuses on appearances always believe that they aren't as good looking as everyone else.

We can buy "things", and try to have "more" and "better" than other people. In the end, when you are gone, all you have done is given your loved ones "chores" to deal with what you left.


The bottom line is that we need a balance of things in our life. Family, friends, pets, movies, food, games, camping, sunlight, beaches. No one thing is meant to define who we think we are.


So I now turn that question back to you .... what do you find that's "of worth"?