So Sick of the Wealth Envy

I remember doing this story a long time ago on my radio show. Now it’s back with more of a disgruntled chip than ever.

Circulating around the Internet is the reminder that the CEO of Walmart makes in ONE HOUR what his average employee makes in a whole YEAR!

Imagine that!! SHOCKING!! OBSCENE!! ATROCIOUS!!

Ummm. How about…NONE of the above?

The very premise of the gripe is idiotic. One could say this about ANY head of most companies. Do you think Colonel Sanders made more money from his Kentucky Fried Chicken recipe than, say, the average cook in his eateries? Was Henry Ford wealthier than the average guy on the assembly line? Does a best selling author earn more than the editor? Does a movie star make more money per movie than his or her stand in or stunt man?

YEP to all of the above, most likely.

Let’s share some basic economics and common sense for those who aren’t well versed in either.

The earnings of the people in the above scenarios over their subordinates is what it is because of their ability to GENERATE REVENUE AND SUCCESS FOR THEIR COMPANIES. PERIOD.

Brad Pitt is the money draw, not the cute guy who stands in for him for 2 scenes in the movie. Colonel Sanders was the genius, not the kid ringing the register.

And the CEO of Walmart makes his company one of the most successful that has EVER existed. As hard as the guy at the register or the tire department or the back warehouse works, he does NOT come close to contributing what the CEO contributes.

People often confuse manual labor with critical labor. Yes, the people in these Walmart positions are important to the company. And yes, they often work long, hard hours. Day in and day out.

But here is the real issue. The BOTTOM LINE is the following…

If they were to walk off the job, the company could replace them inside of 10 minutes. Especially in this tighter jobs market.

The cold, hard reality is that if the CEO of Walmart bails on the company, there is a LOT more at stake in terms of his departure. Especially since he has made the company into a success.

To compare the earnings of the CEO or FOUNDER of a company as huge and successful as Walmart to an average employee, maybe even a youngster, is idiotic and unfair.

There are no huge box office draws making $100,000 per movie. They make MILLIONS oftentimes because they GENERATE countless millions more.

The CEO of Walmart knows how to make his company BILLIONS of dollars. The guy working the register doesn’t.

Any questions?

I am SO SICK of wealth envy.

Stop being jealous of other people’s success. It doesn’t suit you.

And it certainly doesn’t get you any closer to your financial goals.

So quit your squirming and your whining and face and step in the direction of your own personal dreams and desires.

Your lack of success is not because of the success of the other person. No one would ever argue that one is ill because the other guy is healthy. Or that one person is sad because too many people are happy.

You aren’t in a jalopy because someone else has the nice car. Or house. Or job. Or anything else.

There is plenty of health, happiness, and wealth to go around. There is no finite amount of any of these that one can acquire.

You are the one limiting your potential.