Money and Charlie & the Chocolate Factory

Last week, my kids and I decided to have "movie night" and we picked Charlie and the Chocolate Factory featuring Johnny Depp. I didn't think I would really enjoy it but, I ended up really loving that goofy movie.

If you've been reading this blog so far, you will know that I struggle with many concepts and ideas on money.

But in this silly little movie, I found the answer to all my money questions, problems and struggles . . . it was when Charlie finally finds a "golden ticket" and contemplates selling the ticket to make money for his poor family. When he announced that this was an option for his family, his Grandpa George took him aside and said:

"There's plenty of money out there. They print more and more everyday. But that ticket? There are only five of them in the whole world, and that's all there's ever going to be. Only a dummy would give this up for something as common as money. Are you a dummy?"

Grandpa George Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Wow. I sat on the couch while my kids happily munch on M&Ms and Popcorn and tried not to drop tears, because I felt like such a . . . dummy.

I mean, how clear could that be? We -- the American Culture -- clamor for, turn tricks for, give up half our lives and nearly KILL each other for something as common and plentiful . . .as money.

We have fallen for the hokey-doke, people. We live with the mind-set that money is scarce when in fact, it's the opposite. And because of this mind set we give up the very thing that could allow us to live the lives we want . . . opportunity. We give up our opportunities -- the thing that could give us the very things we want in abundance -- for money. Think about it . . .

• We give up jobs that have "fun" working environments and opportunity to advance because the salary is too low and the other "dull" job offered to us gives us $10,000 a year more.
  
• We commute over 90 minutes one-way -- losing 3 hours of our lives each day -- in a car because the salaries are much bigger in the city.
  
• We don't take the sabbatical from our jobs to take that dream trip to Europe because we're afraid our current job won't be there when we come back.
  
• We won't take that great new idea and make a business from it because it would take too much time away from our job, or the boss doesn't like us moonlighting, or we may be fired once the boss finds out we are working on something else.
  
• Or even more simply, we don't endeavor in our own business because everyone knows that a job with benefits is where the real security lies. And everyone will think you're crazy to give up your job.

All those lost opportunities, just because we think money is "scarce." Just because we are dummies. Thank you Grandpa George.


I am often awed by how I find wisdom (answers to life's little questions) in small, unassuming little bits like one scene in a goofy movie. If you want to check out the movie buy it here.