Dear LPG readers,

I never cease to marvel at the internet's top ten lists, although many of them are somewhat intrusive these days. I recently looked at the top ten richest celebrities in the world, as assessed by the internet, and one thing I found interesting is that so many of them are American.  

Over the years, another change is that many more people have had to earn their place on the list, and fewer have inherited their fortunes. The computer and information technology industry appears to be responsible for a significant portion of today’s seriously wealthy individuals, and I am certain that artificial intelligence will make it easier for future millionaires to amass wealth without having to put in too much effort to kick-start that small idea which snowballs into their path to riches. It is nearly impossible to navigate the internet without encountering someone eager to explain how you can establish a get-rich-quick scheme that will generate all the wealth you require once you begin. However, I suspect that even if you do manage to achieve success in that way, you must remain so preoccupied with what you have created that you cannot focus on much else.

I recently saw a couple of supposedly wealthy individuals being interviewed on television. Although the two in question were considerably less affluent than those in the top ten, they both expressed a level of regret, as making their money came at the expense of having time to connect with family and friends.   

When it comes to that top ten list, I have only heard of three of them, which reflects my ignorance, although, in my opinion, there is more to being wealthy than merely having lots of money. Both individuals I saw interviewed confessed to having spent a significant amount of their formative years consumed by the pursuit of whatever made them prosperous, as the determination and focus required to achieve their substantial bank balances was merely a by-product of all the dedication and single-mindedness they needed to cultivate.  

We poorer mortals often worked just as hard and were equally focused throughout our working lives. Still, because we were part of someone else’s financial vision, our dedication ceased at the end of each day, leaving a little more time to observe and be more aware of the other happenings around us.    

My point is that everyone has a limited capacity for focus, and reaching such heights comes at a considerable price, if not a greater one. There is immense opportunity in the Western world in the 21st century, but the constraints on how much we can achieve with one brain and one lifetime are, in some respects, as restricted as ever.  

The fear of missing out on some grand dream at the expense of other fundamentally essential aspects of life enriches a person in many ways. Therefore, when you find yourself in a room full of individuals who seem financially, academically, or even socially more prosperous than you, if your regret stems from not having accomplished something more outwardly remarkable with your life, remember that leading a life devoted to your family and ensuring your children navigate their way through childhood successfully is also a pursuit that should render your life prosperous.

MM, Catford