CONCLUSION
The Whole Elephant

As I drove away from Dr. Harold Black’s office, I thought about his metaphor of the elephant. For me, writing this book has been a way to try to see the “whole elephant” of prosperity—not just the parts that are visible from my individual perspective and experience. The image of the elephant reminds us to recognize that we can’t necessarily see the big picture from our own point of view. An elephant is a magnificent, if unlikely, creature. I was grateful for the opportunities I’d had to step back and get a glimpse. Through dialogues and discourses, I had come to a more complete understanding of the countless paths to prosperity and the rich nature of the psychology of wealth. I also remembered that in many cultures, the image of an elephant with an upturned trunk represents the removal of all obstacles. I knew that whatever obstacles may appear in our way, remembering the big picture—where we want to go and the power of trusting in our ability to get there—will help see us through. Doing so will allow us to embrace the tremendous possibilities for ourselves, our families, and our communities—and experience our highest potential for prosperity.

Based on my discussions with many successful people, I have learned that having a healthy psychology of wealth means taking responsibility for one’s own decisions. As I talked with Rickie Keys, Dr. Harold Black, and Erin Wagner, another facet of this psychology emerged clearly—that is, to make the most beneficial decisions and to chart the best possible financial course, we must also take responsibility for educating ourselves. Part of conscious financial living and creating prosperity is seeking out knowledge about our options and resources. Put simply, it is learning how money works. We must make ourselves the most capable decision makers we can be. To do this, we can learn from our parents, teachers, mentors, and truly qualified advisors, or simply through reading, talking with, and listening to the best sources we can find. This education will not only serve us; it will expand us. And then, when we have added our own experience to this education, we in turn can pass this wisdom to others, including to the next generation.

A wealth psychology is not a particular financial strategy or method. Nor is it an inner determination to obtain riches or fulfill one’s monetary dreams or desires. Prosperity is not defined by how much money we have accumulated or how little debt we have. The psychology of wealth is a simple and pragmatic call to nurture the qualities and attitudes within ourselves that will create a prosperous life. This suggests a commitment to bring more consciousness to all our decisions, large and small. It asks us to discover what is most meaningful to us as individuals and to become aware of how each decision and action moves us either toward those values or away from them.

Having a wealth psychology means that we feel grateful for what we have and acknowledge what we’ve accomplished. We know that generosity toward others is abundance in motion, and that giving creates more abundance in us. With this psychology, we accept that we’re responsible for what we create, no matter what life may provide or remove along the way. We expect the best of ourselves, and we recognize that the golden path to true prosperity, to a life of happiness and fulfillment, begins by showing up and putting one foot in front of the other.