The TRUTH About Money, Marketing and Happiness

From the archive: originally published September 2012 on the Empower Network blog.

Now: I want you to imagine for a second yourself 4 months from now….

….sitting back, debt-free with a nest egg of cash in your bank account — relaxed, sprawled out in your home office with your feet on the desk — not a worry in your mind.

To many people this is a fantasy, but they don’t know what I’m about to tell you….

Back a few years ago, I was working construction, sweating my ass off in the hot Florida sun. It had been two years since I hit rock bottom in my personal life, brought to my knees from my relentless battle with addiction and alcoholism.

As much as I was grateful for my life (especially from where I was just two years earlier), I was dead tired of being broke, not being able to escape the rat race, and having to say “no” way more than I said “yes” to my family when they asked me if we could “afford” a dinner out, or even a new pair of shoes.

I was tired of always having to “think” about money.

Tired of always “crunching” numbers to see if this months income was going to cover the bills.

I drove an old 1990 Ford F-150 truck, that I had to start with a screwdriver, and when I did start it — it threw sparks that were visible from blocks away, like a 4th of July fireworks extravaganza.

Many of my friends, who had “money problems” just like me, would say things like…

“I’m just grateful I have good friends and family to share the things I do have with…”

Or…

“At least I got my health to be grateful for….”

…but I knew that type of thinking was just a cop-out to surrender to a life of mediocrity, regret, and a vicious cycle of never ending financial, social and personal headaches.

I wanted more….

…And I was willing to work my ass of to get it.

I had always questioned the ideas, principals and theories taught in places where text books and politicians ruled young peoples minds like a gang leader influencing young recruits.

Against popular belief, what I perceived as a great “quality of life” was NOT working 40 hours a week, for 40 years, to find out the payoff was to become a Wal-Mart greeter. (nothing wrong with Wal-Mart greeters by the way, if that’s what you do now, or want to do after you retire).

I often felt like too many people in “the system” were trying to ‘pull the wool over my eyes’….

I was tired of the ignorant loudmouths who made less than the average American income, but loved to give out “free” financial advice.

I was tired of the ruthless and relentless banquet-hosting politicians (*only the “bad ones” of course) who were always preaching how they had the answer to all my financial problems, but nothing ever seemed to really pan out.

And I was tired of the damn media, who ruled American minds with an iron fear-of-loss fist by pulverizing the average persons dreams by reminding them daily of the hopeless recession we were right in the middle of.

So I took my life into my own hands.

I got SERIOUS about being an entrepreneur and stopped screwing around with the idea of building a business.

The point is….

I didn’t wait for someone to give me permission.

And I learned some very specific “governing rules” to making my personal “cash register ring” …that left even the most successful people I knew, who had been in business for years — scratching their heads.

Last month in Costa Rica I spent a couple of hours drilling deep into the simple “little” things I did, that have allowed me to go from making less than “minimum wage” in my business…

…..to a healthy six-figure a month business – every month (not just once or twice).

It’s allowed me to pay cash for things, live a debt-free lifestyle, and drive what I want, live where I want, and say “Yes” whenever my family asks for something they need (or want). I actually just moved into my new house last weekend 🙂

Its a far cry from the one-bedroom ‘shack’ I lived in a few years ago.

Funny thing is — the money is not a motivation for me at all.

It never has been.

My motivation is primarily to develop personally, be a great man, a great father, and a great leader.

I’m driven by what “feeds” me, which is being a part of people’s lives — but not just “being there” — making a difference and having an impact.

I also discovered since I started focusing on these things in life, money is not an issue. Money actually follows people who do the right things for the right reasons.

Which is why they always “have what they need” …..and in MANY cases, whatever they WANT.

See, money follows good intentions, not the other way around.

(read that again)

Which is why, not always, but A LOT, when someone gets rich, but has the wrong motives, they usually end up losing it all anyway.

Which is WHY we teach you at Empower Network to be great in ALL areas of your life — not just financially.

And why we teach you the importance of feeling good about what your doing.

And why we share WHO we are, and WHY we started this company, to inspire you to start living big in life, and believe that anything is possible.

(because it is, really)

See, my DREAM is to actually to help people break through personally, just like I did almost 5 years ago. It’s one of the reasons I’ve enjoyed going back into drug treatment centers and institutions, as much as I can to share a message of hope — of my own free time — to men in sometimes seemingly hopeless situations.

Since I got clean and sober back in February of 2008, I’ve discover the real secret to living a happy and fulfilling life. And it’s not all about money.

Hell, like my good buddy Matt said to me the other day…. “Money doesn’t buy happiness, it just puts a nice down payment on it”.

Lol.

I couldn’t agree with him more 🙂

Real fulfillment in life comes from making a difference in someones life.

From helping them ‘get to the other side’ of something that seems impossible to them at the moment.

From sharing your honest experience with someone who needs to hear it, even though it might be uncomfortable, or embarrassing… expecting nothing in return — but just doing it. And more times than not, it reaches someone in just the right time, and it’s POWERFUL — sometimes life changing (or even life saving).

We have stories like this all over Empower. Everyday, emails come in, posts are made, and stories are shared about people deciding to fight their addictions, or finally face their demons.

This is just one of the reasons Empower Network is so rich, and SO many more ways than just money 🙂

I searched for the ‘secret’ I’m sharing with you right now for YEARS, and the funny thing was: it was always right in front of me, with me at all times.

The TRUTH is: what you need to be fulfilled and successful is already inside of you, waiting for you to tap into it and release it.

Sometimes you just need someone to help you find it, and push you past the uncomfortable feelings you get when you teeter on the edge of a breakthrough.

“It’s always darkest before the dawn”.

Yes, it’s true.

So if you’re feeling the pain of life right now, dealing with some type of struggle, or wondering if the world has a place in it for you to THRIVE….

…..just know this:

The world has been waiting, watching and wondering….

….WHEN and IF you’re going to reach inside and release your Inner BadAss.

– David Sharpe
“The Commission Magician”

Income references are historical (2011–2013) and were not typical; no income is guaranteed. See our Income Disclaimer.