For the past sixty years, our country has been trying to get rid of poverty and become prosperous. At the same time, we hear statements such as ‘Seeking money is bad,’ and ‘Money should not be your goal.’ If you carefully observe the background of the people who make such statements, you will be surprised to know that 75% of them are rich and powerful. The remaining 25% are those who think that they don’t have the capacity or skills to become prosperous.

All other people like you and me aspire to become prosperous. Our hearts tell us that we must earn money.

“I listen only to my inner voice. Though it tells me that I must become prosperous, it does not give me specific suggestion to increase my income,” said Swati, a full-time employee in a small toy shop.

“If you want to become prosperous, you must seek self-employment. Seeking entrepreneurship and self-employment means seeking luck,” I said to her.

“I have aged bed-ridden parents and a younger sister studying in High School. I am the only bread-winner in my family. I need a regular inflow of money to survive. It is impossible even to think of giving up my present job. Does my situation mean I can never become prosperous?” Swati asked me.

“If we open up our eyes even a bit, we will find many income opportunities around us. Becoming conscious of our capacity and the environment is the real problem for most of us. Can you please tell me something about your job?” I requested her. Swati replied, “I work from 10 AM to 8 PM. The shop owner pays me Rs.2,500/- a month. As we get only ten customers a day, I actually work only for an hour and sit at the corner of the shop without any work for eight to nine hours.”

“Will your employer mind if you do something useful to generate income for yourself whenever you are free?” I asked her. “He won’t mind because he is my maternal uncle. In fact, he started this shop to help us. He is the one who taught me how to make soft toys, models in paperboard and other simple handicraft products,” said Swati.

“Many schools and colleges require their students make models or miniatures of objects of study, either for the purpose of evaluation or display at school exhibitions. These students may need your help. Offering such help to them may turn out to be an income opportunity for you,” I told her.

After a few moments of contemplation, Swati asked me, “When the college assigns projects to students, they are supposed to do the work on their own. Am I not helping them cheat the college if I do their work?”

“I am happy with your attitude. Students are supposed to write an exam. If you teach the subject to them and earn in the process, you are helping them and the college. However if you write the exam on their behalf you are doing something wrong. My suggestion is that you must teach them how to do the project,” I explained to her about my idea.

“Oh, now I understand. But how will the students know about me and my services?” Swati asked. “If you help two or three students complete their projects successfully, they will bring hundreds of clients – their classmates and schoolmates – to you.” I replied.

Swati met me after a year. She told me with a broad smile that things were going very well. “I have realized the money value of the time. I have been working in this toy shop for the past three years and have been wasting 10 hours a day. Now I don’t have time even for my lunch,” said Swati.

“I am glad to hear that. Please tell me about your income,” I requested her.

Swati said, “I do just one project a day. If I don’t spend time teaching my clients how to do, I could even do three projects a day. But I never do the actual work. I help the student do the work. I sit with the student and complete the project together. I charge Rs.250/- for a day’s work. I am able to earn Rs.5,000/- from this work and it is two times my salary! Sometimes lazy students would ask me to do the work for higher fees. But, I strictly adhere to values and this principle has made many teachers and lecturers recommend my services to their students. So long as schools and colleges exist, I will be running a profitable service business. I don’t have any financial worries now.”