“Wealth" is a word that elicits a wide variety of mental images. Living large, enjoying all the good things in life, and seemingly without a care in the world.

For some people, "wealth" is defined as freedom from the looming burden of debt. The car is owned free and clear and the credit cards aren’t carrying a balance. After years of putting money away, your kid gets a "full ride" college scholarship. Maybe you’ve been making extra mortgage payments to shorten the term and can see the payoff in sight. So, your earnings are your own. You’re not working simply to pay debts.

Others have a vision of wealth that simply translates to a dollar amount in the bank account: millions, tens of millions, or even the billion-dollar mark. For them, there is the hope of winning a lottery, inheriting a fortune, or coming up with the next brilliant invention that the world will line up to buy.

What wealth means to me is the financial substance that enables me to provide for my family and have enough left over to have options. With enough money, you can take the vacations you want, live in the home (or homes) of your dreams, and be free of the daily grind that wears away the joy of your life. You don’t have to be trapped in a job you hate because you can’t afford to give up the paycheck.

I don’t understand the reasoning of people who don’t want to set a goal to be wealthy. We all have an obligation to reach out and help people in need, but you can’t do that if you’re one of them. Remove yourself from the role of beneficiary and assume the role of benefactor for a change.