Why Wealth Is A Better Target Than Fame

When you go online these days, the sheer number of content creators that you see is astounding. Streamers, beatmakers, artists, comedians, and so on. Not everyone is trying to be the next big thing, but many are. It’s amazing how many folks you will see with thousands of viewers, followers, and subscribers that you’ve never even heard of before.

For folks that are looking to become popular, famous, and special, this may be bad news. With more and more people using social media for advertising and promotional purposes, the competition is steep.

However, for folks using social media for wealth-building and networking purposes, this may actually be a good thing. Afterall, this means that it may be easier to find similar folks to connect with, and more access to partnerships, collaborations, and affiliations through the connections you are able to build.

Fame Can Be Short Lived

When fame is your primary motive, your actions tend to become watered down and tarnished. Fame depends heavily on the validation of others, and it is dependent on your superficial status in comparison to other people. This means that the things you do can become less about the personal growth and development you will gain from them, and more about the attention and praise you will receive from others.

The term “15 minutes of fame” gets thrown around a lot, because for many that’s about how long it lasts. And because you have positioned yourself to be at the mercy of external things, this means that when those things are no longer there, you as well will feel empty and hollow.

Fame Can Be Bothersome

Famous people have to deal with a lot. From fans, critics, people that want something from them, and so on. Because of this, it can be hard for some of them to develop true and satisfying relationships.

I was listening to a podcast featuring Ben Aflack earlier this year where he actually indicated that it’s more meaningful to have 100 true fans than to have 1,000,000 that are just there for the wrong reasons. He made the point that as human beings we evolved living in small communities dealing with many of the same familiar faces throughout a lifetime.

Even though modern life is far from what our ancestors experienced, in some ways the same principles still apply. It’s better to have a small community of people who appreciate you for you rather than a plethora of people who don’t really see the real you.

Wealth Is Multi-Faceted

I am actually reading a book right now that is called “The 5 Types of Wealth”, explaining how wealth can be social, mental, physical, financial, or even related to how you are able to spend your time. The author explains that chasing money solely as a means of happiness is a sure path to unfulfillment, just as the same can be said for fame.

What this means is that as you are pursuing wealth, you are also creating value for other people. Because your goal is not to put others down so that you can elevate yourself up, you are actually enhancing the lives of those around you.

Although fame is not something to stive for directly, it also is not something to be afraid of. Afterall, social wealth is in many ways a form of capital. In many cases, putting yourself out there, building connections, and putting together a strong network can lead to long term success. However, the goal is always to do this under the umbrella of wealth-creation, and not just because you want to impress anyone or look cool.

Thank You For Reading

As always, I want to thank you for taking the time to read this article. I hope it has served you well, and I look forward to seeing you on the next one.