CEBU, Philippines – John was a banker and he made huge amounts of money. Throughout his glorious life, there were many vacation homes, parties and charity events. He had amiable wife, children and grandchildren too. John had many good friends and worked very hard.
Then one day, John contracted cancer and died. His money was duly passed on to his heirs. John's fortune was worth many millions of dollars. While he supported various charities throughout his life, the sum total of his effort was relatively insignificant. Sure, he was a good man, but his fortune was wasted.
We have climbed to the very top moneyman's self-actualization pyramid. We find ourselves at the apex and that very last stage is, once again, money. But here it carries a different meaning. In fact, one could say that this is when money becomes truly meaningful. It is time to give it back for the greater good of all. That is the legacy that all true fortune hunters must leave behind.
Of course not everyone does. In our view, though, no matter how wealthy a hunter may become (example, John) they will never become fully self-actualized without completing this last step. We do not doubt that John accomplished much in his lifetime or that, to some, he represents the pinnacle of success. However, in our view, he neglected his most important duty: the creation of a legacy.
- from The Elephant Hunters (Palgrave Macmillan)