Jones - The richest man in town: the twelve commandments of wealth

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Copyright 2009 by W. Randall Jones

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First eBook Edition: May 2009

ISBN: 978-0-446-55068-0

For Dad, who made us all feel like the richest man in town

A s I grew up among the tall pines of Carrollton, Georgiaa town of twenty thousand of the nicest people on earth, most of whom had never been to New YorkI never dreamed of one day living in the big city, or running with the big dogs (thats what we call the rich and famous in my hometown). I did dream, however, of being a writer. Thirty years later, I can say that I have lived in the big city, and as this book attests I have been blessed to run with the big dogs. It is my sincere hope that after twenty-five years in magazine publishing with Esquire, Civilization, The American Benefactor, and Worth, a book titled The Greatest Stock Picks of All Time, and now with this labor of love, I have proven myself as a writer. But of course, I will let you be the judge of that.

Back in the 1960s, in the hamlet of Carrollton, I lived in a nice house at the top of the hill, overlooking acres and acres of Jones land that had been in my family for generations. As idyllic as the view was then, and is still today, I often found myself dreaming of a different view and a different life. Not necessarily a better life, but rather a richer life, in the most meaningful and existential sense of the word rich. To see the grandeur and glories of the world, to know the most interesting people around the globe, and to experience, learn, and truly understand the best that this wonderful world has to offer: Those were my dreams.

Quite simply, I wanted to succeed. Admittedly, I was not exactly sure what success really meant. I dreamed of living in a sizable home with two-story columnsI have. I dreamed of making a seven-figure salaryI have. More important, I dreamed of a life of constant learning. Thankfully, Im still very much in the process. And yes, I secretly dreamed of being rich, yet I was not at all certain what that really meant. Ive done well, but full disclosure: I am not the richest man in towncertainly not in New York City, or in Carrollton, Georgia, the two towns that I call home today. I am not done yet, however, and I trust neither are you.

My curiosity is perhaps the character trait of which I am most proud. The most successful people I have known along my journey to this richer and fuller life share this one critical character traitboundless, near-insatiable curiosity. Samuel Johnson, the most quoted English writer other than Shakespeare, had it right when he said, Curiosity is, in great and generous minds, the first passion and the last. It is mine.

In conceiving this book, I found I was most curious about people, because from others, I believe we learn our most vital and valuable lessons in life. Second only to our own mistakes and unique experiences, we learn best from the experiences of those whom we most admire and respectand in rare cases those we detest. I am and have always been most interested in and intrigued by those men and women who by dint of their own talent, ingenuity, creativity, promise, and perseverance accomplish truly great things and amass great wealth as a well-deserved by-product of their accomplishments.

This book is replete with such people. It is a treasure trove of their personal experiences, their triumphs, their failures, andmost importanttheir wisdom. It is not your run-of-the-mill get-rich book. It is not one mans or one womans story. It is instead the collective wisdom and proven wealth-creation philosophies of one hundred of Americas greatest success stories. All of them self-madeactually, the term I prefer is one Birmingham, Alabamas richest man in town, Miller Gorrie, coined: self-sufficientsuccesses. Yes, they have all attained a staggering amount of wealth, but, much more significant, most have attained a monumental degree of satisfaction in their lives by contributing real value to the world. They have not led the life of quiet desperation that nineteenth-century philosopher Henry David Thoreau so feared. They are hunters and explorers, constantly seeking new ideas, new ways of thinking, and new opportunities. They both love and value the thrill of each quest. Their expeditions excite them, fuel their passions, and, not surprisingly, make them truly happy. They are living the American Dream.

ITS GOOD TO BE RICH

S ecretly, if not overtly, almost everyone in America desires to become rich: to make it big and enjoy the fruits of a prosperous life. So if the desire is there, why do the vast majority of Americans never achieve great success and its attendant rewards? Simply put, most of us do not have a clue about how to reach this all-too-elusive position. We have no proven blueprint for reaching greatness, no cleverly devised plan, and almost certainly little or no access to those who have actually accomplished the feat of becoming the richest person in town. It is my American Dream that this book will give every young man or woman with an ounce of ambition a personal road map and the inspiration to embark on the journey. Furthermore, I hope that The Richest Man in Town will also reach out and grab those who are adrift, those who have experienced failure or temporary setbacks, or those who havent yet found their path to success. Whether you are eighteen or fifty-eight, the lessons I have learned from the most successful Americans will, I hope, inspire, cajole, and mentor you to that rich, full, and successful life of which you have dreamed and I hope you deserve.

I admit it. I love the word rich, but not in the pejorative filthy lucre meaning of the word. As I was growing up in the South, rich was often thought of as a four-letter word, a term not used in polite company. One simply did not discuss religion, politics, sex, or moneyall my favorite subjects. Not surprisingly, today I see things differently. Now I think of this powerful adjective in its most holistic sense. When I think rich, I think of a life of bountiful joy, of sincere goodness, filled with great worth and value. I think of things that are magnificent, sumptuous, beautiful, and of people being rich in ideas, spirit, and generosity. I think of abundance, of fertile land, of meaningful, significant, productive lives, and, yes, of profitable enterprisesI think of rich as being financially sound and secure.