Yeah, I know… this question in itself smells of acute naivety, or even stupidity, on my part. But do forgive my indulgence in this little game of stupidity, if it is indeed so. For, if we are to embark on a journey together and thrive along the way, I deem it of paramount importance that we set off with the same end in mind.

So just what is wealth? Sure, wealth is not money. For the purpose of our journey and the steps herein outlined, we’ll define wealth as the accumulation of stuff we crave for, such as food, clothes, houses, cars, gadgets, travel to interesting places, and so forth.

Thus wealth provides a kind of safety net of protection against an unforeseen decline in one’s living standard. Such unforeseen decline can result from a job loss, the loss of parent or partner, or some other emergency.

Also, wealth can be transformed from one form into another. And today, money, of which currency is one form, is the commonest medium of this transformation or exchange of wealth.

Rich Pal, Poor Pal

As I’ve said above, Wealth refers to some accumulation of stuff we want, whether abundant or not. Richness refers to an abundance of such stuff. A wealthy (or rich) person has accumulated such stuff in abundance, whereas a poor fellow has not. The opposite of wealth is destitution, and the opposite of richness is poverty.

Note also, that the concept of wealth is a relative one. It not only varies between societies, but will often vary between different sections or regions in the same society. For instance, if I drove an average “home second-hand” saloon car (that’s just a fancy name here in Ghana for a used car!) to my village today, I’d be flagged the wealthy guy. Yet no one may even notice my presence while driving such a car in Accra.

Likewise… while a person with a net worth of US$1,000,000 in the United States of America would certainly be placed among the wealthiest citizens, such an amount would constitute an extraordinary amount of wealth in a developing nation like Ghana.
Wealth Creation: Not A Zero-sum Game!

If you accept this notion that wealth refers to those things that we crave for, then you would agree with me that creating wealth begins with having clarity about those things that matter to you, those things that you truly value.

It’s only then can you set out to accumulate them.

Regardless of whether or not you agree with this concept of wealth, here is one good news to put a smile on your face: the supply of wealth, while limited, is not fixed. Wealth creation is not a zero-sum game. Thus, there is room for everyone, including YOU and I, to acquire wealth without taking from others. One’s attitude towards this issue affects the kind of social or economic system that one prefers.

I, George Appiah, have made a personal decision to accumulate wealth through conscious and smart life choices, prudent time and financial stewardship, and creating exceptional value for others in exchange for a fair compensation.

This wealth, I reckon, when sufficiently accumulated, will provide a kind of safety net of protection against an unforeseen decline in my ability to practice my trade to earn a living. It will also afford me the rare luxury of never having to worry about where my next meal would come from, so I can direct all my energies into what I truly care about in this life.

And I started this website — CediWISE.com — to share with you, my dear reader, my triumphs and the challenges I encounter along this journey to wealth and abundance.