Ronnie Apteker: Quality over Quantity – what does another $1m mean to a millionaire?

Money, money, money… It’s what makes the world go round, or so that’s what instilled at a young age. But where’s the line, how much is enough, and is this drive for richness, clouding the other ‘more’ important facets of life? Let’s not take away the fact that money is what puts the food on the table, but if you’ve got a million, what does another million mean to you? In another well crafted piece of literature, entrepreneur and Coolfidence.com founder Ronnie Apteker digs into the money realm. And using some unique examples, shows why money should not get the better of your time. – Stuart Lowman

By Ronnie Apteker*

Ronnie Apteker
Ronnie Apteker

What is the point of making more and more money? If you are financially independent, then what does another million dollars mean to you? And if you say it is about power then think about this: to your children you are a God – show them your power – be a better parent. Don’t trade quality for quantity.

Spend more time with your kids instead of making more money that you don’t even need. If you can do this then you are more powerful than you could ever imagine.

Real power means putting others ahead of yourself. Your children and family should be ahead of anything or anyone, especially any amount of money. But it is all easier said than done. And yes, coming from me, a guy who is not a parent yet.

Priority parents

I remember reading an interview with Janet Reno a decade or so ago when she was out here from the US. Ms Reno said that she is sick and tired of the American tax payers moaning about the fact that so much of their tax dollars are going towards building prisons. She said that the real problem is not about rising crime.

The real problem is that the kids of today never see their parents. They are misguided and unloved. She said that if we spent more time raising our children properly then we would not have to build prisons. Wise soul.

The progress paradox

Switch off those cellphones. Stop being controlled by technology. Stop trying to increase the numbers. Quantity is going to get the better of us if it has not done so already. Give quality a chance. Stick to the fundamentals. This is what made companies like Boeing and IBM a success.

We seem to be going backwards when it comes to relationship building. We use e-mail and texts, for example, to connect with people. And it is not working so well in view. All this magical technology is about better communications but it doesn’t always help build better relationships though.

Think about this paradox of progress. If you want people to do business with you and if you want people to trust you then spend quality time with them and do it face-to-face.

Read also: Ronnie Apteker: Six Golden Rules of Money, how to use it, not to lose it

I have noticed that so many people use their cellphones when they are driving. This is not only causing more and more accidents but I am amazed at how much people have to say.

Also, here is the sad part, I have seen so many parents on the phone with their child sitting next to them in the front passenger seat. Why don’t you talk to your children? Why not use that time to listen to them and do some relationship building. And who are you talking to all the time? The office?

Is it business you are talking to while driving? Is this what your kids must hear, business and money, business and money … no wonder kids are going into business at younger and younger ages, without any guidance or understanding of the fundamentals. Hey, listen to your kids more – switch off those damn cellphones! Especially when you are driving

$100 an hour

I found this story on the Web a long time ago, but its message is timeless. This tale is called $100 an hour.

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door. “Daddy, may I ask you a question?” “Yeah sure, what is it?” “Daddy, how much do you make an hour?” “That’s none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?” the man said angrily. “I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?” pleaded the little boy. “If you must know, I make $100 an hour.” “Oh,” the little boy replied, with his head down.

Looking up, he said, “Daddy, may I please borrow $5?” The father was furious, “If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I work long hard hours every day and don’t have time for such childish behaviour.” The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.

The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy’s questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money? After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son. Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $5, and he really didn’t ask for money very often.

The man went to the door of the little boy’s room and opened the door. “Are you asleep, son?” he asked “No Daddy, I’m awake,” replied the boy “I’ve been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier,” said the man. “It’s been a long day, and I took out my aggravation on you. Here’s that $5 you asked for.” The little boy sat straight up, smiling, “Oh, thank you Daddy!” he yelled. Then reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up notes. The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.

The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at his father. “Why do you want more money if you already have some?” the father grumbled. “Because I didn’t have enough, but now I do,” the little boy replied. “Daddy, I have $100 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.” Share this story with someone you like – but even better, share $100 worth of time with someone you love.

Summing up

This is just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Spending quality time with those you care about is what real power is all about.

  • Ronnie Apteker is one of the three founders of Internet Solutions. His latest business endeavour is coolfidence.com – click here to see what it’s about.
Visited 72 times, 1 visit(s) today