Tuesday, August 11, 2009

The Unconventional Millionaire


In early 2007 a producer contacted me from a British production company making the television program Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous for European and North American viewers. This program highlights the lives of millionaires. He was very eager to speak with me about filming me for a segment of the show. But first, he had to establish exactly what kind of expensive things I owned. He inquired about what kind of cars I preferred.

 

When I responded to tell him there were many types of nice cars, but I did not own any of them, he wondered exactly what kind of car I did own. When I replied that I in fact did not own a car at all, there was a long silence on the other end – a millionaire without a car? The producer was astonished. He decided I must be a boat man, I must own some sort of yacht. Well, I do enjoy yachting but no, I didn’t own a boat. I finally explained to him that my golden rule thus far was to not invest in anything that moves, and that’s why I didn’t have a car, a boat or even works of art.

Inevitably the producer decided he would go ahead with the filming, no doubt assuming that they’d get plenty of interesting footage out of my asset-rich business portfolio and a preview of my thrill seeking adventures.

In short, I am not into showing off. People have this stereotypical view that wealthy people should be glamorous. After all, most millionaires are. But the glamour aspect doesn’t grab me. It’s not who I am.

Live with passion and dare to dream. Make your life an epic extraordinary adventure.

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