How to grow increasingly wealthier
“The rich do get richer,” admitted the Wealthy Gardener, “but usually because they once managed their income and expenses to gain an advantage. Wealth arises from temporary sacrifices that yield increasing rewards over a lifetime.”
There was a pause, then the Wealthy Gardener stood up and led Jimmy to a goldfish pond built into the stone patio. They began feeding the fish.
“Wealth arises from temporary sacrifices that yield increasing rewards over a lifetime,” he said slowly. “In every goldfish pond, we always find several specimens that are disproportionately larger than the others. At the start, these large goldfish had a slight advantage. Maybe they were just born bigger, but their huge size today is due to this slightest size advantage in their past.”
Jimmy nodded without comment, watching the fish gulp the food.
“Due to their size advantage, the bigger fish ate more food each day. In turn, they grew even larger. And in time, it became a self-perpetuating cycle. The larger these advantaged fish became, the more food they ate each day, and the larger they grew.”
The Wealthy Gardener paused for effect, watching the fish swim in circles.
“Your wealth is very much the same,” he said slowly, “in that it grows from the smallest of advantages. We hear people complaining that the rich get richer, but these complainers are failing to earn their own small advantages.”
“And that is how you became wealthy?” Jimmy asked. “You rose by gaining advantages?”
“I had to earn financial advantages by managing my income and expenses,” he said, “and then I managed my advantages to amass my wealth. The postponement of luxuries, combined with the acceptance of long hours, allowed my wealth to outpace others. While my friends lived for pleasure, I grew into the largest goldfish in the pond. And so the start of my wealth was born from small advantages. You must acquire excess money and use it to grow your own advantages.”
– Excerpt from The Wealthy Gardener
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