13 Oct, 2009
Common traits of billionaires...could you be one?
Are billionaires born or made? What are the common attributes among the uber-wealthy? Are there any true secrets of the self-made?
We (at Forbes) get these questions a lot, and decided it was time to go beyond the broad answers of smarts, ambition and luck by sorting through our database of wealthy individuals in search of bona fide trends. We analyzed everything from entrepreneurs' parents' professions to where they went to school, their track records in the early stages of their careers and other experiences that may have set them on the path to extreme wealth.
Our admittedly unscientific study of the self-made members of the Forbes 400 yielded some interesting results.
- First, a significant percentage of them had parents with a high aptitude for math.
- More American billionaires and near-billionaires were born in the fall than in any other season.
- Of the 274 self-made tycoons on the Forbes 400, 14% either never started or never completed college.
- Several Forbes 400 members suffered bitter professional setbacks early in their careers
(To see the full article, go to www.Forbes.com 9-30-09)
Galatians 5:22 [NIV]
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
John 15:5,8
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing...This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
What does God's Story teach us about "common traits" of those who are His?
So...if you happen to be born in the fall, have parents who are strong in math and you have had some failures...my suggestion would be that you either don't go to college or that you go and drop out. It might just lead to you being a billionaire! (But don't tell your parents that YFC suggested that.)
Seriously though, it is interesting to look at the wealthiest in the world and find out what they have in common. In the same way, we who are "spiritually wealthy" are also supposed to have some common traits. The Bible clearly spells them out to us in Galatians where it says that we should be full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control.
Wouldn't it be great if Forbes decided to do another study where they took a few hundred Christians and studied what they had in common...and their results were this very list of 9 traits!?! That is exactly what God has called us to be like...but thankfully He didn't expect us to do that on our own. That is why they are called the "fruits of the Spirit". We can only see these character traits come out in our lives as we allow the Spirit to work in us. That is why Jesus told us that we could do nothing apart from Him.
Do the "common traits" of being a Christ-follower describe you?
- First of all, remember that we are all a work in progress. It is unlikely that any of us would claim to live out all 9 of these every day. God is not through with us yet...don't let the enemy beat you up for missing the mark. God loves you just the way you are...but He loves you too much to leave you that way.
- Because God has called us to this high standard, take a closer look at the 9 fruits of the Spirit again. Talk to God about each one and ask Him to show you where you need to grow. (For me...it is patience.)
- Once you have identified one or more areas, ask the Holy Spirit to help you with this. Submit to Him each day and ask Him to make these traits real in you!
Do your friends see these traits in you?
- I Peter 2:12 tells us to live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
- It is important for each of us to know that others around us (who don't know God yet) are watching us. They want to know if Christ is real in us and by the help of the Holy Spirit, they will be able to see that He is! When they see hope, peace, joy...they will want that!
- The best thing you can do to reach your friends is to daily stay connected to God...because when you are, the fruit of His Spirit will show in you...and when that happens, people will see that you carry the "common traits" of someone who has the riches of Christ!
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