Just when you thought you were getting ahead and starting to earn some good money comes the news that in the final year of his life, Kerry Packer was earning over a million dollars a day.
This article at News.com.au reveals that Mr Packer, who died on Boxing Day, aged 68, left an estimated $7 billion when he passed away.
Over a million dollars every day? At my current rate of earnings I could bring in a million dollars if I started now and didn’t retire until the age of 75. If Mr Packer had given me just a couple of days of his earnings I’d be set for life.
I can’t say much about Kerry Packer because I never knew him. There have been plenty of people ready to say great things about him over the past few days. They say that he was generous, clever and loyal.
No matter what you thought about Kerry Packer you’ve got to agree that he was a very wealthy man; much wealthier than most of us could ever hope to be. It’s with that in mind that I say we should ‘just give up’ on our own hopes of great wealth.
I’m not saying we should give up on striving for the best or to provide well for our families but if all we are reaching towards is greater wealth, we have very little chance of ever being satisfied. Research shows that those who achieve financial success almost always seek greater and greater wealth. It’s a never ending quest that will never satisfy.
I don’t have a problem with people earning good money or being wealthy but it’s not an end in itself. What are the things that are truly important? Are we investing time in those things? What are our hopes for the year ahead? Are we measuring our goals for 2006 in dollars or relationships?
When New Year’s Day 2007 rolls around what will 2006 say about you? You still have the opportunity to shape 2006. I pray that you’ll build the coming year with the things that matter; the things that last.
Posted by Rodney Olsen
Technorati Tags: New Year Relationships Wealth Kerry Packer
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Greetings – I hope you had a wonderful Christmas.
A shaykh I have started learning from talked about the acquisition of wealth in a paper I read just last night. He said that trying to acquire wealth is a sign that within us we all seek the One who is the Possessor of All (i.e. the Most Wealth) and that if we realised that we can never acquire enough wealth to satisfy that urge, (i.e. material things will never fulfil us completely) we will be happy with the level of wealth we have attained.
Thanks for your Christmas wishes. We had a wonderful time.
Good to hear from you again. Are you going to start posting to your blog again soon? I really miss your postings.
and as they say, he who dies with the most toys…still dies.
Accumulated wealth can’t buy immortality, but Jesus gives everlasting life.
kez
One thing I heard on the telly the other night about Kerry Packer when he had a near death experience, he said “The bad news is there’s no devil & the good news is there’s no God”. That changed my whole thoughts about him. All is wealth is worth NOTHING.
I’m pretty sure I’ll never be a millionare, but I know I’m very wealthy in many ways. In material possessions I have more than many in India etc, I have a wonderful family and friends, and I have eternal life with Jesus Christ my Saviour. What more could I want?
Yeah – I was a bit crook back there for a while, and dropped out of the internet world. I’m starting to toy with the idea of posting again, but I’ll see how I go. My DH has been working at a new job so I’m a full-time parent now which cuts my internet time to about minus one hour a week hehehe.
One thing is for sure. He didn’t take it all with him.