In this book, Alan Cohen explores with the reader the link between passion, authenticity, and prosperity. What is obvious in his findings is that nothing pays like being yourself!

I was really drawn by this book's title! Instead of just telling you to work harder, outdo your competition, and follow the usual techniques to make more money, Alan Cohen focuses on the heart, faith, and vision required to overcome fear, peer pressure, limiting beliefs, or a history of failure.

Every thought you have falls into one of two streams of energy: "enough" or "not enough".

The more you observe and affirm "enough", the more "enough" you have. The more you observe and affirm "not enough", the more "not enough" you have.

Your contentment around wealth does not really focus on external events. It is more about the vision you're using to view your life. You have the power to be rich right where you are. It is your choice.

You might be saying, "Right. My choice?"

"How can I feel wealthy when I am struggling with bills and buried in debt?"

Money is just one thin slice of prosperity. If you are struggling with money, turn your focus toward other forms of abundance that are already present in your life. This is a critical process because to build a wealthy bank account, you must first build a wealthy mind.

Let's look at some other aspects of your life where you may already be wealthy:

* Good health

* Beauty of nature around you

* Rewarding friendships

* Loving family

* Creativity

* Strong spiritual source

* Stimulating ideas

* Kindness of people you meet

You may realize that you are richer than many people with a lot of money because you are giving your attention to wealth rather than need. You have appreciation for the great aspects of your life.

Many people with a lot of money rely on it so much for their happiness, that they only focus on how to make more money and what else they want to buy to make them happy. This process can be never ending and only leads to disappointment when the acquisition of more money and things do not fill the emptiness in their lives.

I've always like something that Oprah once said, "Acquiring wealth makes people more of who they are." Those who appreciated what they had before becoming wealthy, could receive the wealth comfortably, investing, sharing, and enjoying their wealth. Those who did not have a positive attitude toward what they had before becoming wealthy, often lost their wealth as quickly as they obtained it.

It's not what you have but how you are seeing it.

There is a Bible verse that speaks to this. "To him that hath, more shall be given; to him that hath not, more shall be taken away." This is not unfairly saying that the rich should get richer and the poor get poorer. What it is saying is that it is how you are seeing what you have that makes the difference. If you are focusing on what you do not have, you will attract more lack. With a focus on what you do have, you will attract more wealth in all areas of your life.

We've all heard stories of people winning the lottery and how that affects their lives. Some people lose the money just as quickly as they won it.

You have the freedom to create your experience with how you choose your thoughts.

Does peace and contentment with your life mean that you must stop where you are and never desire more? One way to describe an attitude of contentment is "happy and hungry".

You certainly appreciate what you have while also enjoying the wonderful adventure of expanding your world. Growth and improvement are part of life. As you stretch and strive for more, it is not showing that you are greedy. To live with some sense of inner peace, we can not be looking to GET to perfection. Perfection is an attitude that you can enjoy as you go through the process of moving forward in your life.

Yes, there is always a next level of good beyond the good right where you are now.

Bloom fully where you are planted and you can still fully reach for more.