One day, you will have to decide whether you want to make money or you want to serve. While you are not wrong for thinking they are not mutually exclusive, the core ideology behind your pursuits in life matters. There is a difference between watching the world and making money. There is a difference between thirsting for success and seeking the betterment of your world. A watchman trying to steer the world towards a better future and making money in the process is different from a businessman that sets aside some money for corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects.
Chinua Achebe in his book “The Trouble With Nigeria” criticized the ideologies of two very popular Nigerian leaders. He pointed out that their mindset was more likely to produce “aggressive millionaires”, rather than servant leaders the country needed. You take a look around and can identify this issue within the political space of most African countries. The leaders emerged from a culture of “make money and do good”. They never understood service or how to commandeer resources for the common good. You cannot set a goal of making money and somehow also maximize your impact and legacy.
Serving as the salt and light of the world is not about making money. It is about service. Your top priority is to deliver your ideas and solutions in a way that is consistent and sustainable. You can make money in the process; you should make money in the process. However, you are not a businessman engaging in corporate social responsibility activities. You are a watchman trying to do the good you know to do. An obsession with making money will derail you from your task. Over time, you stop optimizing for your world and begin to think about fattening your purse. This is real poverty.
