Why Money Can’t Buy Happiness

If you are poor, you probably think rich people are happy because they have money. Or you think they're sad because they have money. If you're rich, you think poor people are sad because they don't have money, or you think they're happy because they don't have money. If you came to any of those conclusions, I submit to you that you would be wrong. And on this video today, I'm going to talk to you about rich glaad. Poor, Glad. What does that even mean? Well, I believe there are people who are poor who are glad or happy. I believe there are people who are rich who are glad or are happy. I believe the mistake that a lot of people make is they think that I'm poor right now. But when I get all this money, I'm gonna be happy. I submit to you, if you can't be happy when you're poor, you won't be happy when you're rich.

And money is not going to make you happy. I was happy when I was broke as a joke and ready to choke. Stuck like chucking a pickup truck and all the rest of my Myron poems. I was happy then. I was happy when I was broke, but I wasn't happy that I was broke. There's a difference. See, I realized that having money was not going to make me more of anything other than capable of making choices. Having more money gives me more choices, but it does not make me happier. And more choices doesn't necessarily make you happier, but it also doesn't make you sadder. It just makes you more choices. And so if you're delusional and you think that they're rich people are happy because they're rich, they're glad because they're rich, or they're sad because they're rich, you're wrong. You think poor people are glad because they're poor or sad because they're poor. You're wrong. There are poor people that are happy. In fact, when I travel to nations where people are poor, I see some of the happiest people in the world. But I don't make the mistake of thinking that commonality is causality. Just because poor people are happy, it doesn't mean they're happy because they're poor. And just because some rich people that you might meet are miserable, and I've met some miserable rich people, it doesn't mean they're miserable because they're rich. And just because you meet some happy rich people doesn't mean they're happy cause they're rich, you know? And People have these jokes. People say that money can't buy happiness. That's cause you don't know where to shop. No, that's because money can't buy happiness.

I was happy. I was happy as a lark in the park, in the dark when I was broke. But I wasn't happy that I was broke. I was happy because whether or not I had money, I could say within my soul and truly understand and believe it. Blessed be the Lord that daily loadeth us with benefits. And when I wait, people ask me. And I know people think I'm happy because I'm rich. I know they think that. There are some people who think that they didn't know me when I was broke, though.

The people who knew me when I was broke will tell you I was happy when I was broke. And I wake up in the morning, I wake up in the morning now that I'm rich. And I used to wake up in the morning when I was broke and I would open my eyes and I could see.

And the thing, one of the things that makes me so happy.

Is because I know how to make myself look, but I don't know how to make myself see. It's a gift.

Sight is a gift. And by the way, it's not a gift that everybody has. How many of you all know some blind people? Right? So everybody doesn't have the gift of sight, but you have the gift of sight. And with the gift of sight, you have enough nerve to say, I'm having a bad day. I think it would be more accurately stated you're focusing on the uncomfortable aspects of your day. Because I think in order to know whether something is good or bad, we have to live longer. Because you can't tell whether something's good or bad looking through the wind, looking through the windshield, you can only tell if it's good or bad looking through the rear view mirror of the experience of your life. And if you did that, if you woke up every morning and just opened your eyes and like.

Let me ask you a question. Take the age you are right now. Imagine if you will, you've been blind that whole time. And all of a sudden you wake up one morning and you open your eyes and you can see, how happy would you be? Should those of us who've had sight every day of our lives be any less happy?

Oh.

I get up out the bed and I stand up and my legs will hold me.

Do you know there are people whose legs don't hold them?

And I can pick up something, I can put something down And I can grab my phone and I can grab my AirPods and I can go into my biohacking room and I can. I can take the COVID off my cold plunge tank and I can get in some 39 degree water.

For 8 to 13 minutes and just.

Be in my happy place. My hands hold stuff. I know how to make myself pick something up, but I don't know how to make my hands work. Everybody's hands don't work. There are people who've been quadriplegics for decades and you are unthankful for the use of your hands. You are having a bad day. Really? Really. Somebody cut me off in traffic. Really? People say, I went to Eddie B's last night and the guy who's bringing my car. There was a line. I walked outside of Eddie V's. There were 10 people there waiting for the valet to bring them their cars. I walk outside, I didn't even see the valet. The valets were busy getting people's cars. They came up, they saw me out there. There were 10 people there already.

Me and my friend come out. One of them goes and gets my car. The other goes and gets my friend's car. We didn't give him a ticket. We didn't do anything. Then the guy has to get in a line that's waiting there for him to pull my car around. He comes around and he says, I'm sorry for the wait, Mr. Golden, for your car. You know what I said to that guy as I gave him a $20 tip for driving my car less than a half a block? I said, if that's the worst thing that happens to me in my life, I'm going to have a great day.

I had to wait for my car. I didn't have to wait as long as these folks, number one.

But even if I had, that's the ruination of my day. I had to wait 15 minutes for my car. Oh, my goodness. This is so terrible. I can't believe I'm going through this. We are delusional. You have running water in your house and electricity and food and a refrigerator to put it in so it doesn't go bad the next day.

I am saying, whether or not you're glad or sad has nothing to do with how much money you have. It has something to do with how much focus you have and what you're focused on. Rich, glad, poor, glad, rich, mad. Poor, mad. There are some poor people who are mad. There's some rich people who are mad. Oh, they're just mad. They're so mad because. And mean because they got so much money they think they can get away with it. I know rich people who are mad. I know poor people who are mad. They're mad because their perspective is off. Somebody walks around all day long looking like they put their makeup on. Upside down, face so long you throw it out the window and use it for a fire escape.

And you alive. You are a fool.

If you are walking around with anything other than gratitude and thankfulness in your heart for. For your life, for your parents, for your children, for your spouse, for your house. I was going to say for your mouth, but I'm not going to say that.

For just the many blessings that you open every day. You are delusional.

I had polio in my left leg that have negatively impacted my left leg. My left leg can't hold. Not only can it not hold up my body weight, it can't even hold up its own weight. I can't even do that with my left leg. I can't even just hold my left leg out straight in front of me. I can't do that. I can't do this left leg. Can't do it. Do it. This leg. Can't do it. This leg. This leg. It'll go about that part. Oh, that's so bad. That's so terrible. Is it? I know somebody can't do nothing with either leg. And even I couldn't do anything with either leg. I still got stuff to be thankful for. Even I couldn't see and couldn't hear. Still got stuff to be thankful for. I'm made in the image of God. If that's all I got to be thankful for, I got enough to put a smile on my face for the rest of my natural life.

We. We're so. We're so caught up in measuring and comparing. This person has that. This person has this. This person. Why can't my life be. Here's what the scripture says. They that compare themselves among themselves, measuring themselves by themselves are not wise.

Why are you comparing yourself with somebody? You ain't them, they ain't you. You can't be them. They can't be you. You wouldn't want to be them. They wouldn't want to be you. So quit tripping and just be grateful for the assignment you have.

I'm talking. I know for a fact if you are broke, you can be happy. I know for a fact if you're rich, you can be happy. I know for a fact if you're sick, you can be happy. I know for a fact if you're healthy, you can be happy. I know for a fact when you lose loved ones, you can be happy. I know for a fact when you don't lose loved ones, you can be happy.

There's not a circumstance or a situation that will happen in your life that determines your perspective. You do that.

And you can either pre determine that your perspective is going to be focused on the blessings of your life, or you're going to determine, predetermined, that the focus of your life is going to be focused on the testing of your life.

And I'm going to tell you something about tests. Anybody ever have a test in school when you were in the government indoctrination camps?

The child prisons? Okay, I'm done.

I can remember taking tests and not passing them. Guess what you have to do. You have to learn the lesson all over again. Take the test all over again. You know what I learned from that and from life?

Learn the lesson, receive the blessing. Don't learn the lesson. Keep on testing.

Which one's it going to be for you? Are you going to finally wake up on the right side of the bed? Whether that be the left side or the right side. The correct side of the bed. I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. What does that even mean, you woke up?

You woke up. Everybody who went to bed last night didn't wake up. I hate my job. You hate your job?

The job that somebody who's living under a bridge right now wish they had you hate. Hmm, that's fascinating.

It's all perspective, Myron. What are you saying? I'm saying it's all perspective. It's all perspective.

I don't mean it's mostly perspective. It's all perspective. It's all attitude.

Encounter, blessings or not. You can just dismiss them. Oh, yeah, yeah, I woke up. But I woke up and it was cold outside.

I just can't even, like, I can't deal with you right now.

There's not a person I've ever met that doesn't have a whole bunch to be thankful for. There are a whole bunch of people that I've met that are unaware of all the things they have to be thankful for.

You know, when they become aware, when it's gone.

It's amazing.

It's amazing.

How much.

America wants to ask for God's blessing after a terrorist attack.

And it don't take very long after that. God who?

Can I get a witness.

Like we can? Here's the beautiful thing about rich, glad, poor, glad rich, mad poor, mad rich Sad, poor sad. All of it. It's all the same stuff. We get to decide.

There's not a factor. There's not one thing that will ever happen to you in your life that determines whether you're happy or sad.

Mad or glad.

Not one thing that happens to you that's going to determine that. You know what's going to determine that you are. All that stuff that happens to you I discovered. I'm so glad I discovered this.

All of the factors.

That made my life and are making my life what it is, that have made my life what it is and are making my life what it is, they're all inside of me. Everything else is just a contribution. And I love the fact that they're contributing factors. Do you realize every test you've ever taken contributed to the person you've become? Every difficult thing that you've ever gone through contributed to the person you've become? Every difficult thing you will ever go through is contributing to the person you will become. The difficult stuff you're going through right now is contributing to the person you become. You're becoming.

Like. Don't hate the valley.

Do you ever notice this? Psalm, chapter 23. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for he is with me. That ain't what it says.

Is it? Then say, I will fear no evil, for he is with me. His rod and his staff, they comfort me. That ain't what it says. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.

Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. What is a valley? What's a valley? It's a low, narrow passageway between two mountains. You got a valley. You got two mountains. You got a mountain over here and a mountain over here. The psalmist started out on this mountain that I like to call Mount Just Enough. Mount Just Enough for me. And it's easy to pontificate on Mount Just Enough, ain't it? Can I get a witness? The Lord told me, he said.

But see, when you're on Mount Just Enough, God shows you a vision of another mountain that's higher than the mountain you're on. And here's what he told us. Here's what he showed us. There's no helicopter ride from here to there. There's no zip line there's no trolley car. There's no cable car. You want to get over there, you got to go through the valley to get to the vision.

And when he came down, notice what he's doing on this mountain. Mount Jessamount. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He's got contentment on Mount Just Enough.

He leadeth me beside still waters. He's got comfort on Mount Just Enough. Contentment on Mount Just Enough.

And he says, yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of Death. Now here's what's interesting. He's lying down on Mount Just Enough, but he's walking in the valley.

The valley is a place that's dark and it's difficult. And there's death in the valley. But you got to walk through there. Why?

And the valley is the valley of Not Enough.

Not enough for me. We got to go through the valley.

But the only way to make it through the valley is to stop talking about him and start talking to him.

Stop pontificating about God and start fellowshipping with God.

That'll change your perspective.

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For thou art with me, you're with me. Your rod, your staff, they comfort me. You prepare the table before me in the presence of mine enemies. You. Did you hear what that said? You prepare the table where before me in the presence of my enemies. You knew I was coming through. When I thought I was going to die in the valley.

You knew it so much you had a table reservation with my name on it and my favorite food.

And you made my enemies watch me eat what you prepared for me.

See, the valley is the place where God gets us ready for what he already has ready for us. The valley is the place where he prepares us for what he's already prepared for us. That's why we have to go through something to get to something. And see. We want to circumvent the valley. We want to shortcut the valley. We want to blaze through the valley. That ain't how valleys work. We have to stay in the valley until we become the person.

When we ascend Mount. More than enough. More than enough for me. This is not the place I'm blessed to be blessed. This is the place I'm blessed to be. A blessing. Remember what he said. Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup. Anoint my head with oil. He showed me my purpose. After I went through my problems.

After I went through my pain, then I got to see. I got. I Got to see my purpose after I went through my pain, after I went through my problems, after I went through my peril. Then I got to see my potential. Then I got to see my purpose. Then I got to see my promise.

Now notice my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Like what BR Lakin used to say. I like to see a brother get a blessing. I like to see his cup run over. Because when brother cup runs over, brother saucer gets a little amen.

It's a place where you're not just blessed enough to be blessed, you're blessed enough to be a blessing.

I'm talking about rich, glad, poor glad. See, if you're poor and you're happy, God is just getting you ready for what he already has ready for you. If you don't go through the valley before you get to the vision, you will not be strong enough to stay there when you get there. Now notice my head with oil, my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. All the days of my life, Goodness and mercy following me. You know goodness blocks for you.

Right? That's a blessing. You know what mercy does? Mercy picks you up when the enemy knocks you down.

You walking around on Mount More than enough and you hear footsteps behind you. That's Mr. Goodness and Mr. Mercy following you.

Fellowshipping with you, making it good for you.

Don't buy into this lie that you can't be happy and glad when you're broke. You can be. Don't buy into this lie that you that you can't be happy and glad when you're rich. It's a lie. Don't buy into the lie that rich people are happy because they're rich or poor people are sad because they're poor. Has nothing to do with it. Money is just a contributing factor to your life.

I am telling you, if you will determine to count your blessings every day and have the joy of the Lord in your soul.

It will change everything for you. And you can be glad while you're broke on your way to becoming rich. If you become rich, if you become rich and then lose all your riches if you get it back, if you never get it back.

All that stuff's outside.

But the relationship that we can have with God and other people is something that's an internal. The character, the integrity, the honesty, the diligence, those are all internal determining factors to how our life turns out. My desire is for you to be encouraged whether you're rich, poor, middle class, healthy, sick or on your way. Be glad. Count your blessings every day. It'll not just change your life, but it'll also impact the lives of the people around you. I hope this video helps you. In the meantime, in between time, stay blessed by the best and we'll see you on the next video.