True story, Word of Honor:
Joseph Heller, an important and funny writer
now dead,
and I were at a party given by a billionaire
on Shelter Island.
I said, “Joe, how does it make you feel
to know that our host only yesterday
may have made more money
than your novel ‘Catch-22’
has earned in its entire history?”
And Joe said, “I’ve got something he can never have.”
And I said, “What on earth could that be, Joe?”
And Joe said, “The knowledge that I’ve got enough.”
Not bad! Rest in Peace!— Kurt Vonnegut
I found this eulogy/poem in a commencement speech by Vanguard founder & personal finance cult hero, John C. Bogle. He mentioned it as part of a broader challenge to some new Georgetown MBAs: especially in the finance industry, how could they counter the trend of businesses extracting value instead of creating it?
On a much more personal level, I’m considering the same question: In a world that always wants more, how will I know when I have enough?
Insight inspired by: Vonnegut & Heller (two of my favorite authors!), along with John C. Bogle and his 2007 speech, Enough. And thanks to James Clear for sharing it in his list of Great Speeches.