Lessons for a father - The fight to be 1%

Premise

28000000000000.

That is 28 billion. That, in dollars, is about the amount donated by Bill Gates till January 2013. That also depicts an amount that is more than the GDP of about a 100 countries in the world per a list by the World Bank.

The question is not whether or not Bill Gates' picture should show up under the word "altruism" in the dictionary, but how he got to the point where he could give away so much and still have enough.

Sarcasm creeps in

He must have cheated. He must have found a way to take from people that deserved the money more than him. I am almost certain that there was exploitation involved and ruthlessness against his fellow beings and a lot of corruption.

Why do I believe that? Well, simply because hard work, good decision making, great timing and an inclination towards innovation never made anyone successful. 

So, of course, Bill Gates cheated. So did Warren Buffet and Mark Zuckerberg.

These people also, by the most accepted definition, make a part of the, now hated, "1%". A class of people that have cheated (obviously, no?) their way to financial success globally with another broad stroke of the "99%" brush also marking them undeserving of their success. 

I defeat sarcasm and get serious

On the other hand, I am deep into 99%. But, my definition of "99%" and "1%" is something else. Jokes apart, Messrs Gates, Buffet and Zuckerberg do make it to my version of the 1% and quite deservedly so and with all due respect.

So, what is my version of the 99% and 1%, and how is it different from the one that gets us very emotional reactions the world over these days?

It goes thus. 

All of us are born with capabilities. Some to do well in the sciences, others in sports, some in journalism, some in book writing and so on and so forth. There are some among us that are good in a variety of disciplines (all power to them!!). 99% of us meet or fall below the imaginary line of expectation that gets bestowed on us given our capabilities. 1% of us (roughly speaking and mostly for argument sake) exceed those expectations.

What differentiates us then, from them?

Hunger.

Think about it. Do we think that Gates or Buffet or Zuckeberg or others like them, the world over, NEED to work. Well, maybe. But, not for money so they can buy a new laptop let's say. They have enough money so their children and their children's children do not have to work. Why do they keep working then?

Simply, because they want more. They want a better world perhaps, or to eradicate a disease (Malaria in Bill Gates' case) or to correct one thing about the crumbling third world (creation of a toilet that is self cleaning and requires less water, perhaps!?). 

I don't know what their deal is, but they seem to be still very hungry for success. They, and others like them, form my 1%. 

Lesson for me?

I am a new father who is trying to raise a child in a world that cherishes mediocrity. While everyone wishes to "fly under the radar" and put in their "8 to 5" and go home, there are those that rise and do more. They open businesses, help people in need, work with countries to do course correction and give, close to half their MOST DESERVEDLY earned wealth, to charity.

I want my son idolizing Superman and Spider-Man and Batman and Wonder Woman and all that they do. I want him to look at the good they bring to this world (not Batman, he just brings cool gadgets and a helluva detective prowess). But I also want him to aspire to become a part of, just like me, the 1%. Wealth is not important. Giving, and being more and doing more and exceeding expectations definitely is.

Image: Flickr (sathish_urs)