Would You Rather Be Proud or Rich?
The question, is to some degree rhetorical, as the quick and likely answer from most would be “both.” But it aptly frames the new book from business consultant and serial entrepreneur Peter Swain, “You Can Be Proud or Rich,” (52 Life Lessons to Live By), which opened June 2023 as Amazon’s #1 new release on Business, Health &Stress.
52 Life Lessons for All
I will admit I picked up the book after meeting the author through a high-end mastermind community, the Board of Advisors. I was taken by his insightful mind, apparently “too smart to learn” in college and given to speaking his mind to a degree that by his own admission he’s “essentially unemployable. Yet he’s launched and built four companies, consults and has spoken on many of the world’s largest stages.
The book, like Swain, is concise, consisting of 52 (count ’em) insights, each provided neatly on the front/back of a single page. The lessons arrive in no particular order, but each is filled with a level of insight and hard-won experience to cause most readers to react (at least silently) with, “YES. That’s exactly right.”
Two Years in Creation
Swain spent two years in the creation of the book, which he advises readers to open and read in any order desired. I read it cover to cover in the space of less than two hours. I found myself folding back so many earmarks to save my thoughts, the system quickly proved useless, and I migrated to post-it bookmarks instead.
I predict fellow leaders, communicators will want this book in multiples to carry along and to share with other deep thinkers as a go-to launching pad for myriad blogs, articles, and presentations to come.
Not only are the lessons insightful, but they’re also well written, replete with Swain’s sense of humor, depth of soul, and unwavering candor — while he’s outspoken and even brash, he’s equally quick (in most cases) to admit his failures along with his wins, and to savor every experience, good and bad, for the learning it brings.
One of my favorites: Hard and Relentless are Different Things. “Is your challenge hard?” he asks. “Or do you need to be relentless?” Rearing children is hard, he reasons, but even more, requires that a parent is relentless in showing up and being consistent for years upon years.
The principle also applies to challenges such as weight loss or weight management, he notes. He notes that losing weight can be easy, but for real success is also relentless, as a single day of messing up can require days of recovery to get back into the zone. If you tell yourself that “losing weight is too hard,” that’s just not true, he opines — it’s simply an indication you’re not willing to be relentless to achieve it.
As a giant insight Swain notes that wolves are the most efficient predators, with 95–98 percent hunting success. Why? It’s not because they’re the biggest, the strongest or the most gifted in physiological weaponry. But they run behind their prey without touching it, fighting it or taking it down until the target in front of them simply falls down and gives up. Relentless.
“If you have the tenacity to keep going, your success becomes inevitable.” I find this profound. The book contains many similar insights I will personally capture and continue to share.
So, What’s the Answer? Proud or Rich?
Finally, the answer to the titular question: Would you rather be Proud or Rich? That’s lesson one, which Swain learned in one of the first bits of professional advice he received. He’d prepared a document and showed it to the chairman of his company for his feedback. But when provided with the chairman’s thoughts, he became defensive.
The chairman stopped and noted (in short), “Peter, instead of listening and absorbing my input, you give me an excuse. You’re serving your EGO instead of your OUTCOME. So, which do you want to be, rich in life or proud in ego and right?” In every situation (health, business, family, relationships) you face choices to be rich in life or limited and safe by protecting your ego? “You cannot have both. So which will it be? Proud… or Rich?” Point taken. As a final note, I’ve learned from Swain’s website www.PeterSwain.com that he offers membership to a free Proud or Rich mastermind to all book owners.
In conclusion, here’s a bit more about Swain, whom I suspect we’ll be seeing with increasing frequency.
About Peter Swain
From his author profile: Peter Swain is a business consultant, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker. His journey began in the 90s at a trade show when he was handed a bright yellow flier discussing a new technology: the World Wide Web.
Since then, he’s been a part of 1,200 digital projects for many impactful companies around the globe. He has worked with entrepreneurs, Fortune 50 companies, and global charities and governments. He has started and exited four companies and now assists individuals and companies in finding the levels of success they deserve.
