WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.339 All right. Let's take a deep dive into ancient 00:00:02.339 --> 00:00:05.240 Babylon. We're cracking open a classic today. 00:00:05.480 --> 00:00:08.500 The richest man in Babylon. Oh, yeah. This one's 00:00:08.500 --> 00:00:10.740 packed with those parables. We'll love them. 00:00:10.839 --> 00:00:13.220 Yeah. And we'll see if those ancient Babylonians 00:00:13.220 --> 00:00:16.260 had any wisdom that still works for building 00:00:16.260 --> 00:00:19.120 wealth today. Well, I think when you look at 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:21.660 this book and you see, you know, it's been around 00:00:21.660 --> 00:00:25.940 for so long and it's still so popular. You got 00:00:25.940 --> 00:00:27.760 to think there's got to be something to it. Right. 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:30.879 Yeah. I mean, that's what I love about Klassen's 00:00:30.879 --> 00:00:34.399 approach. He uses stories, you know, little journeys 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:38.359 into ancient life to make financial advice, I 00:00:38.359 --> 00:00:41.380 don't know, more relatable and just more fun, 00:00:41.399 --> 00:00:44.000 frankly. Relatable, I think, is definitely the 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:46.399 key word there. And speaking of relatable, let's 00:00:46.399 --> 00:00:49.700 start with the legend himself, the OG, Arkad, 00:00:49.700 --> 00:00:52.299 the richest man in Babylon. All right, let's 00:00:52.299 --> 00:00:54.520 hear it. I mean, even the king sought out his 00:00:54.520 --> 00:00:56.579 advice. Wow, that's impressive. Right. Yeah. 00:00:56.700 --> 00:00:59.119 Talk about influence. Yeah. So what's interesting 00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:02.600 is that Arkad, he wasn't born into wealth or 00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:04.920 anything. He started as a humble scribe, you 00:01:04.920 --> 00:01:07.040 know, like a lot of folks in Babylon. But he 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:10.379 had this burning desire to build wealth. He didn't 00:01:10.379 --> 00:01:12.980 want to just, you know, watch other people enjoy 00:01:12.980 --> 00:01:15.859 the banquet of good things, as he put it. And 00:01:15.859 --> 00:01:17.560 he had this really great quote about it, too. 00:01:18.219 --> 00:01:20.670 What's the quote? He said. I decided to myself 00:01:20.670 --> 00:01:22.769 that I would claim my share of the good things 00:01:22.769 --> 00:01:25.010 of life, that I would not be one of those who 00:01:25.010 --> 00:01:27.650 stand afar off enviously watching others enjoy. 00:01:27.930 --> 00:01:30.989 I mean, can you imagine? I can relate to that. 00:01:31.030 --> 00:01:32.810 I'm sure a lot of your listeners can, too. I 00:01:32.810 --> 00:01:35.569 mean, who hasn't felt that way at some point, 00:01:35.590 --> 00:01:38.670 wanting more out of life? Sure, yeah. But so 00:01:38.670 --> 00:01:42.469 what set Arcad apart then? I mean, what did he 00:01:42.469 --> 00:01:45.489 do? Like, was it one big move or a bunch of, 00:01:45.489 --> 00:01:48.040 like, little... calculated steps well that's 00:01:48.040 --> 00:01:50.519 the beauty of this story he didn't um he didn't 00:01:50.519 --> 00:01:53.200 strunk it rich overnight yeah he recognized that 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:55.680 true wealth is built over time consistently like 00:01:55.680 --> 00:01:58.359 a river constantly replenishing itself you know 00:01:58.359 --> 00:02:00.680 and so he came up with these principles seven 00:02:00.680 --> 00:02:02.680 of them he called them the seven cures for a 00:02:02.680 --> 00:02:05.579 lean choice and they're all about creating that 00:02:05.579 --> 00:02:08.659 consistent flow of income all right so let's 00:02:08.659 --> 00:02:11.740 uh break down these cures cure number one start 00:02:11.740 --> 00:02:16.460 thy purse to fattening i mean Sounds pretty straightforward, 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:19.199 right? Right to the point. Yeah. But it's amazing 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:22.400 how many people miss this first step. You know, 00:02:22.460 --> 00:02:25.020 Arkad, he was adamant that you got to set aside 00:02:25.020 --> 00:02:27.800 at least 10 percent of your earnings before anything 00:02:27.800 --> 00:02:30.340 else. Oh, interesting. Yeah. Pay yourself first. 00:02:30.500 --> 00:02:32.659 Pay yourself first. Exactly. So kind of like 00:02:32.659 --> 00:02:36.039 that first fruits idea, right? From ancient conjures 00:02:36.039 --> 00:02:39.159 where you'd give like the best part of your harvest 00:02:39.159 --> 00:02:42.199 to the gods kind of as a way to honor them. It's 00:02:42.199 --> 00:02:44.199 a great analogy. It's like you're honoring yourself 00:02:44.199 --> 00:02:46.840 and your future by making that saving a priority. 00:02:47.159 --> 00:02:49.680 Oh, okay. And it's not just some ancient idea 00:02:49.680 --> 00:02:52.139 either. This is still like the foundation of 00:02:52.139 --> 00:02:54.879 good personal finance advice today. Yeah, I mean, 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:57.500 that makes sense. All right, so we've stashed 00:02:57.500 --> 00:02:59.780 away our savings. What's the next cure on our 00:02:59.780 --> 00:03:03.199 CODS list? Cure number two is control thy expenditures. 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:07.669 Ooh. Now, that might sound a bit... I don't know, 00:03:07.689 --> 00:03:10.750 like a buzzkill at first. Yeah. Right. The word 00:03:10.750 --> 00:03:13.289 budgeting doesn't exactly scream excitement. 00:03:13.530 --> 00:03:16.129 No, it doesn't. It kind of conjures up images 00:03:16.129 --> 00:03:21.129 of just eating lentils and rice every day. Right, 00:03:21.129 --> 00:03:23.710 exactly. Right. But it's not about deprivation. 00:03:23.969 --> 00:03:26.210 Okay. Think of it more like using one of those 00:03:26.210 --> 00:03:28.650 budgeting apps. Right. They help us track our 00:03:28.650 --> 00:03:30.990 spending and be mindful of our choices. Yeah. 00:03:31.050 --> 00:03:33.889 Our COD was big on aligning your spending with 00:03:33.889 --> 00:03:37.120 what you value, not just... not mindlessly spending 00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:39.800 on whatever catches your eye. So it's less about 00:03:39.800 --> 00:03:42.060 like, you know, denying yourself and more about 00:03:42.060 --> 00:03:45.740 like making conscious decisions. Yeah, exactly. 00:03:45.819 --> 00:03:47.800 Not getting caught up in those impulse purchases 00:03:47.800 --> 00:03:51.159 or trying to keep up with the Joneses. Right, 00:03:51.219 --> 00:03:53.280 or the Babylonian equivalent. It's about understanding 00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:55.520 where your money's going and making sure it reflects 00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:58.000 what's important to you. Yeah, makes sense. So 00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:01.120 enjoy life, but within that 90 % of your earnings. 00:04:01.340 --> 00:04:03.580 Right. That other 10%, that's the foundation 00:04:03.580 --> 00:04:06.599 we talked about. Exactly, exactly. OK, so that 00:04:06.599 --> 00:04:08.599 brings us to cure number three. And this is where 00:04:08.599 --> 00:04:10.979 things start to get interesting. Make thy gold 00:04:10.979 --> 00:04:14.379 multiply. This is where investments come in, 00:04:14.419 --> 00:04:16.680 right? You got it. Yeah. Arkad understood that 00:04:16.680 --> 00:04:18.759 you can't just sit on your savings. You got to 00:04:18.759 --> 00:04:21.579 put your money to work. OK. And he illustrates 00:04:21.579 --> 00:04:24.060 this perfectly with the story of Agar, the shield 00:04:24.060 --> 00:04:25.879 maker. Oh, right. Yeah. He gives him that loan 00:04:25.879 --> 00:04:29.300 to buy the bronze for his shields. Yeah. But 00:04:29.300 --> 00:04:32.639 it wasn't just a one time thing. OK. Arkad. He 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:35.980 saw potential in Agar on his work. OK. So each 00:04:35.980 --> 00:04:39.240 time Agar paid back the loan, Arkad would lend 00:04:39.240 --> 00:04:41.860 the money again, plus the interest it earned. 00:04:42.079 --> 00:04:44.480 So he's like reinvesting his earnings. Exactly. 00:04:44.620 --> 00:04:46.740 And generating even more wealth. It's kind of 00:04:46.740 --> 00:04:48.620 like an early version of compound interest, right? 00:04:48.660 --> 00:04:51.139 It is. Yeah. That idea of making your money work 00:04:51.139 --> 00:04:53.439 for you. Yeah. And then the money that it earns 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:56.959 works for you. That snowball effect. It's a powerful 00:04:56.959 --> 00:04:59.519 force in investing, even today. Yeah. And it's 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:01.750 amazing to think. I mean, we're talking about 00:05:01.750 --> 00:05:04.430 concepts that are like thousands of years old. 00:05:04.449 --> 00:05:07.810 Right. And they're still so relevant today. These 00:05:07.810 --> 00:05:11.029 stories, they capture principles that have stood 00:05:11.029 --> 00:05:14.420 the test of time. Yeah. But even wise guys like 00:05:14.420 --> 00:05:17.199 Arcad, they weren't immune to making mistakes, 00:05:17.379 --> 00:05:19.839 were they? Oh, no, not at all. Remember the brickmaker? 00:05:20.120 --> 00:05:23.620 Yeah, Asmore. Yeah. He got lured into that scheme 00:05:23.620 --> 00:05:26.000 to go to Phoenicia, right? Yeah, and come back 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:28.100 with rare jewels. And he lost a year's worth 00:05:28.100 --> 00:05:30.779 of savings. Yeah, and all he got were some worthless 00:05:30.779 --> 00:05:33.600 pieces of colored glass. Right. It's a classic 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:36.139 case of chasing those quick riches, you know. 00:05:36.220 --> 00:05:38.459 Right. It underscores the need for due diligence, 00:05:38.720 --> 00:05:41.500 diversification. Right. And most importantly, 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:44.639 getting expertise. advice before making big investments. 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:47.360 So you're saying even the richest guy in Babylon 00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:49.540 got taken sometimes. It happens to the best of 00:05:49.540 --> 00:05:52.379 us. It's a good reminder to be cautious and informed. 00:05:52.720 --> 00:05:55.560 Yeah. So I guess that leads us to cure number 00:05:55.560 --> 00:05:59.079 four. Guard thy treasures from loss. There you 00:05:59.079 --> 00:06:01.980 go. Protect what you've worked hard for. All 00:06:01.980 --> 00:06:04.939 right. So we've got saving, budgeting, investing 00:06:04.939 --> 00:06:07.480 and protecting our wealth. What are those last 00:06:07.480 --> 00:06:10.790 three cures all about? Well, they kind of broaden 00:06:10.790 --> 00:06:13.850 the scope beyond just money. OK. It's about our 00:06:13.850 --> 00:06:15.670 relationship with wealth and how it fits into 00:06:15.670 --> 00:06:18.449 our lives. So cure number five, for example, 00:06:18.629 --> 00:06:22.269 it's make of thy dwelling a profitable investment. 00:06:22.550 --> 00:06:25.189 Ah, so like owning a piece of Babylon. Exactly. 00:06:25.970 --> 00:06:28.750 Yeah. Building stability, security. Right. It's 00:06:28.750 --> 00:06:31.769 that foundation, that sense of. being settled. 00:06:31.949 --> 00:06:34.350 Think about it in modern terms. Owning your home, 00:06:34.449 --> 00:06:37.089 it's often a solid investment. Yeah. I mean, 00:06:37.089 --> 00:06:40.009 yeah, for sure. Right. Provide shelter and hopefully 00:06:40.009 --> 00:06:42.089 goes up in value over time. Right. Building equity. 00:06:42.350 --> 00:06:45.170 Exactly. Okay. Makes sense. And cure six and 00:06:45.170 --> 00:06:48.350 seven. Well, number six is ensure a future income. 00:06:48.790 --> 00:06:51.350 It's about providing for yourself and your family. 00:06:51.490 --> 00:06:53.850 You know, if you can't work anymore. Right. Kind 00:06:53.850 --> 00:06:56.529 of like insurance and retirement planning today. 00:06:57.129 --> 00:06:59.829 Yeah. OK. And finally, cure number seven, increase 00:06:59.829 --> 00:07:03.629 the ability to earn. Ah, so this is about investing 00:07:03.629 --> 00:07:06.970 in yourself, right? Exactly. Learning new skills, 00:07:07.170 --> 00:07:09.509 getting better at what you do. To boost your 00:07:09.509 --> 00:07:11.810 earning power. It's a holistic approach. Yeah. 00:07:11.910 --> 00:07:15.050 He saw the connection between our finances, our 00:07:15.050 --> 00:07:17.370 skills, our well -being. I love that. So it's 00:07:17.370 --> 00:07:20.230 not just about hoarding gold. It's about growing 00:07:20.230 --> 00:07:23.129 as a person. Exactly. Yeah. All right. So those 00:07:23.129 --> 00:07:25.389 are the seven cures for a lean purse. Pretty 00:07:25.389 --> 00:07:27.649 powerful stuff, even thousands of years later. 00:07:27.829 --> 00:07:30.370 Yeah. But there's more, right? I mean, you mentioned 00:07:30.370 --> 00:07:34.509 something about five laws of gold. Ah, yes. These 00:07:34.509 --> 00:07:37.610 are the core of our cause philosophy. Okay. He 00:07:37.610 --> 00:07:40.290 considered them so valuable, he inscribed them 00:07:40.290 --> 00:07:43.870 on a clay tablet for his son, Nomaser. A clay 00:07:43.870 --> 00:07:46.310 tablet? Yeah, can you imagine? More valuable 00:07:46.310 --> 00:07:49.050 than gold? He valued those principles that much. 00:07:49.310 --> 00:07:51.569 Wow. Yeah, and in the next part of our deep dive, 00:07:51.649 --> 00:07:53.569 we're going to unlock those five laws of gold. 00:07:53.810 --> 00:07:55.670 Sounds like we've got our work cut out for us. 00:07:55.750 --> 00:07:57.889 We do. Get ready for some more timeless wisdom. 00:07:58.209 --> 00:08:00.350 All right, listeners, stay tuned. We'll be right 00:08:00.350 --> 00:08:05.170 back. Welcome back to our Babylonian adventure. 00:08:05.509 --> 00:08:08.569 Ready to dive into the five laws of gold. Yeah, 00:08:08.610 --> 00:08:10.290 I'm really curious about these laws. I mean, 00:08:10.310 --> 00:08:14.230 we left off with Archad valuing these inscribed 00:08:14.230 --> 00:08:16.709 clay caplets even more than a sack of gold. It's 00:08:16.709 --> 00:08:19.410 pretty remarkable, right? It is. So what makes 00:08:19.410 --> 00:08:21.110 them so special? I mean, how are they different 00:08:21.110 --> 00:08:23.089 from those seven cures we talked about earlier? 00:08:23.470 --> 00:08:25.649 Well, think of it this way. The seven cures. 00:08:26.829 --> 00:08:30.350 Those are like the practical steps, the building 00:08:30.350 --> 00:08:33.629 blocks creating wealth. Okay. So like the bricks 00:08:33.629 --> 00:08:35.710 and mortar of our financial foundation. The five 00:08:35.710 --> 00:08:38.490 laws, though. Those are more like the blueprint 00:08:38.490 --> 00:08:41.809 guiding the whole process. Ah, okay. So they're 00:08:41.809 --> 00:08:44.549 like the overarching principles. Right. The mindset, 00:08:44.649 --> 00:08:47.129 the philosophy behind lasting wealth. So it's 00:08:47.129 --> 00:08:50.769 more than just like the actions you take. It's 00:08:50.769 --> 00:08:54.289 about how you think about wealth. Exactly. I 00:08:54.289 --> 00:08:56.500 like it. OK, so let's unlock this blueprint then, 00:08:56.580 --> 00:08:58.840 starting with law number one. All right. Law 00:08:58.840 --> 00:09:02.440 number one states gold cometh gladly and increasing 00:09:02.440 --> 00:09:05.299 quantity to any man who will put by not less 00:09:05.299 --> 00:09:08.559 than one tenth of his earnings. OK, so this sounds 00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:10.639 familiar. It's like that first cure again, right? 00:09:10.899 --> 00:09:13.889 Start thy purse to fattening. pay yourself first 00:09:13.889 --> 00:09:16.990 it is but it goes a bit deeper okay it's not 00:09:16.990 --> 00:09:19.809 just about the action of saving it's about the 00:09:19.809 --> 00:09:24.070 attitude behind it this idea that wealth or gold 00:09:24.070 --> 00:09:27.789 it's attracted to those who value it who make 00:09:27.789 --> 00:09:30.720 it a priority Interesting. So it's like it's 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:33.220 almost like you're you're inviting wealth into 00:09:33.220 --> 00:09:35.559 your life. Yeah. Creating a mindset of abundance. 00:09:35.779 --> 00:09:37.379 Yeah. I mean, this almost sounds like that that 00:09:37.379 --> 00:09:40.039 manifesting thing. Right. That's a modern term. 00:09:40.120 --> 00:09:44.360 Yeah. But this first law, it suggests that, you 00:09:44.360 --> 00:09:46.759 know, maybe the Babylonians were on to something 00:09:46.759 --> 00:09:49.360 all those centuries ago. Yeah, I like it. OK, 00:09:49.419 --> 00:09:51.519 so what about law number two? Law number two, 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:55.000 it says gold laboreth diligently and contentedly 00:09:55.000 --> 00:09:57.759 for the wise owner who finds for it profitable 00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:01.100 employment. multiplying even as the flocks of 00:10:01.100 --> 00:10:02.899 the field. Okay. So this is about investing, 00:10:03.019 --> 00:10:05.940 right? Making that gold multiply. Yeah. But it's 00:10:05.940 --> 00:10:07.519 more than just, you know, sticking your money 00:10:07.519 --> 00:10:09.539 in any old investment. It's about being proactive, 00:10:09.779 --> 00:10:11.860 finding the right opportunities, making your 00:10:11.860 --> 00:10:14.320 money work for you. So it's like our wealth is 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:16.620 not just sitting there. It's actively working. 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:20.019 Exactly. It's got a job to do. And that job is 00:10:20.019 --> 00:10:22.820 to grow and multiply. I like that visual. All 00:10:22.820 --> 00:10:24.820 right. So law number three, what's that one all 00:10:24.820 --> 00:10:27.480 about? All right. Law number three states gold 00:10:27.480 --> 00:10:30.419 clingeth to the protection of the cautious owner 00:10:30.419 --> 00:10:33.879 who invests it under the advice of men wise in 00:10:33.879 --> 00:10:37.500 its handling. Oh, OK. So this sounds like, you 00:10:37.500 --> 00:10:40.059 know, maybe a little nod to our Cod's own experience. 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:44.299 Right. With the brick maker as more is the importance 00:10:44.299 --> 00:10:47.440 of seeking expert advice. Exactly. Don't be afraid 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:49.840 to ask for help. Right. Especially when it comes 00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:52.299 to something as important as our finances. And, 00:10:52.419 --> 00:10:54.600 you know, it also emphasizes the need to be. 00:10:55.729 --> 00:10:58.750 Right. To do our research, to not put all our 00:10:58.750 --> 00:11:00.750 eggs in one basket. Yeah, that diversification 00:11:00.750 --> 00:11:03.590 thing. Right. So it's like a balancing act then 00:11:03.590 --> 00:11:07.090 between like, you know, being open to opportunities. 00:11:07.110 --> 00:11:10.049 Right. But also like protecting what you have. 00:11:10.230 --> 00:11:13.610 Exactly. Find that sweet spot. All right. Law 00:11:13.610 --> 00:11:16.110 number four then. Let's hear it. Law number four 00:11:16.110 --> 00:11:20.100 states. Gold slippeth away from the man who invests 00:11:20.100 --> 00:11:22.419 it in businesses or purposes with which he is 00:11:22.419 --> 00:11:25.720 not familiar or which are not approved by those 00:11:25.720 --> 00:11:28.360 skilled in its keep. Okay, so this one's all 00:11:28.360 --> 00:11:30.159 about staying within our circle of competence, 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:32.360 right? Yeah, not getting caught up in things 00:11:32.360 --> 00:11:34.840 we don't understand. Right. Do your due diligence. 00:11:35.220 --> 00:11:37.139 Yeah, don't just jump into something because, 00:11:37.220 --> 00:11:39.600 you know, everyone else is doing it or it sounds 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:41.799 exciting. Right, exactly. It's easy to get caught 00:11:41.799 --> 00:11:44.179 up in the hype. Yeah, that FOMO. Right, that's 00:11:44.179 --> 00:11:46.100 a good way to put it. Fear of missing out. Yeah, 00:11:46.220 --> 00:11:49.659 but this law is a good reminder to take a step 00:11:49.659 --> 00:11:51.860 back and make sure we're making informed decisions. 00:11:52.279 --> 00:11:54.679 All right, I'm ready for the final law. What 00:11:54.679 --> 00:11:57.399 wisdom does law number five impart? Okay. Law 00:11:57.399 --> 00:12:00.600 number five, it states, gold flees the man who 00:12:00.600 --> 00:12:03.100 would force it to impossible earnings or who 00:12:03.100 --> 00:12:05.360 follow with the alluring advice of tricksters 00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:08.820 and schemers or who trusts it to his own inexperience 00:12:08.820 --> 00:12:11.899 and romantic desires and investment. Wow. That's 00:12:11.899 --> 00:12:15.139 quite a mouthful. It is. But it sounds like it's 00:12:15.139 --> 00:12:17.139 the culmination of all the other laws, right? 00:12:17.220 --> 00:12:19.320 It is, yeah. It's like a final warning against 00:12:19.320 --> 00:12:23.080 greed, recklessness, naivete. It's all about 00:12:23.080 --> 00:12:25.850 patience, discipline, long -term thinking. OK, 00:12:25.950 --> 00:12:28.870 so it's it's a marathon, not a sprint. Exactly. 00:12:29.149 --> 00:12:31.450 Building wealth takes time. Yeah. I mean, these 00:12:31.450 --> 00:12:35.149 five laws of gold, they really do paint a pretty 00:12:35.149 --> 00:12:37.409 comprehensive picture, don't they? They do. They're 00:12:37.409 --> 00:12:40.210 like a roadmap to financial success. Yeah. And 00:12:40.210 --> 00:12:41.830 it's not just about the principles themselves. 00:12:41.909 --> 00:12:44.330 It's about how they're presented. Right. Klassen 00:12:44.330 --> 00:12:45.929 does a great job of weaving these principles 00:12:45.929 --> 00:12:48.629 into stories. Yeah. And one story that I found 00:12:48.629 --> 00:12:51.090 particularly interesting was the one about Sharonada, 00:12:51.330 --> 00:12:54.409 the merchant prince, and his grandson, Hayden 00:12:54.409 --> 00:12:58.320 Gullah. Ah, yes. The successful merchant who 00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:00.840 was once a slave. Right. And the grandson who, 00:13:00.919 --> 00:13:03.159 you know, kind of took his wealth for granted. 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:06.460 It's a powerful contrast. It is. It makes you 00:13:06.460 --> 00:13:08.620 think about, like, you know, our perceptions 00:13:08.620 --> 00:13:10.980 of work and wealth. And how those perceptions 00:13:10.980 --> 00:13:14.379 can be shaped by our experiences. Yeah. All right. 00:13:14.379 --> 00:13:15.919 I'm ready to dive into their story and see what 00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:18.679 lessons we can glean. Let's do it. Let's explore 00:13:18.679 --> 00:13:21.840 the transformative power of work. Welcome back 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:24.379 for the final leg of our trip back to ancient 00:13:24.379 --> 00:13:27.299 Babylon. We've unearthed some real gems, haven't 00:13:27.299 --> 00:13:30.360 we? Yeah. Those seven cures, the five laws of 00:13:30.360 --> 00:13:33.019 gold. Timeless advice, really. And those stories. 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:35.879 I keep thinking about Sharonada, the merchant 00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:40.440 prince and his grandson. Ah, yes. Hayden Gula, 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:43.720 a tale of two perspectives, really. It is. You've 00:13:43.720 --> 00:13:46.919 got Sharonada, this guy who rose from slavery 00:13:46.919 --> 00:13:50.210 to build a successful business. Yeah. embodied 00:13:50.210 --> 00:13:53.029 those Babylonian principles, you know, hard work, 00:13:53.049 --> 00:13:55.809 resilience. And then his grandson, Hayden Gula, 00:13:55.909 --> 00:13:57.549 well, he's born with a silver spoon, right? He 00:13:57.549 --> 00:13:59.250 seems to have lost sight of the value of hard 00:13:59.250 --> 00:14:01.830 work. Yeah, saw it as beneath him, almost. It's 00:14:01.830 --> 00:14:04.289 a struggle, even today, losing that connection 00:14:04.289 --> 00:14:06.850 to where wealth comes from. Taking it for granted, 00:14:06.950 --> 00:14:09.590 yeah. Thinking it's just luck or inheritance. 00:14:09.990 --> 00:14:13.850 Right, right. But Sharonada's story kind of flips 00:14:13.850 --> 00:14:16.389 that idea on its head. It does. Shows how powerful 00:14:16.389 --> 00:14:18.330 work can be, even when you start with nothing. 00:14:18.509 --> 00:14:20.450 Yeah, it's not just about the money. It's about 00:14:20.450 --> 00:14:23.129 building something. Character, skills, purpose. 00:14:23.450 --> 00:14:25.889 Yeah. It's about taking control of your life. 00:14:26.269 --> 00:14:29.750 The book talks about how Sharonada, even as a 00:14:29.750 --> 00:14:32.269 slave, he noticed his fellow slaves struggling 00:14:32.269 --> 00:14:34.990 to get food after working on those city walls. 00:14:35.309 --> 00:14:38.129 Right. Long days. Yeah. And he saw an opportunity. 00:14:38.429 --> 00:14:40.629 So he starts a business, right? Selling food. 00:14:40.769 --> 00:14:43.730 Exactly. Entrepreneurial spirit. Recognizing 00:14:43.730 --> 00:14:47.190 a need, providing a solution. That's a key ingredient 00:14:47.190 --> 00:14:49.669 in building wealth, isn't it? Definitely. I mean, 00:14:49.750 --> 00:14:52.629 Sharonada didn't let his circumstances define 00:14:52.629 --> 00:14:55.700 him. No, he used what he had, his resourcefulness. 00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:59.220 And saved, little by little, until he could buy 00:14:59.220 --> 00:15:02.080 his freedom. Powerful example, you know. It is. 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:05.840 It reminds me of something Arkad said about opportunity. 00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:09.320 It's a haughty goddess. Who wastes no time with 00:15:09.320 --> 00:15:11.080 those who are unprepared. Right, so it's not 00:15:11.080 --> 00:15:12.980 just about being lucky. It's about being ready 00:15:12.980 --> 00:15:15.139 for those lucky breaks when they come. And that's 00:15:15.139 --> 00:15:17.100 where building a solid financial foundation comes 00:15:17.100 --> 00:15:19.200 in. Absolutely. Gives you that security, that 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:21.490 stability. Look at those, uh... impenetrable 00:15:21.490 --> 00:15:23.730 walls of Babylon. Yeah, keeping those financial 00:15:23.730 --> 00:15:26.570 invaders at bay. All right, so we've got those 00:15:26.570 --> 00:15:30.029 Babylonian principles. Saving, budgeting, investing, 00:15:30.289 --> 00:15:32.529 protecting. We've got Sharonada's example of 00:15:32.529 --> 00:15:35.330 hard work and seizing opportunities. And then 00:15:35.330 --> 00:15:38.889 there's, well, luck. Yeah, the wild card. Some 00:15:38.889 --> 00:15:41.350 folks seem to have it in spades, others, well, 00:15:41.490 --> 00:15:43.970 not so much. Makes you wonder, right? But the 00:15:43.970 --> 00:15:46.870 Babylonians, they had a different take on luck. 00:15:47.090 --> 00:15:49.509 They did. They believed in making your own luck. 00:15:49.669 --> 00:15:52.830 Oh, interesting. How so? Remember Arkad's words, 00:15:53.090 --> 00:15:55.789 opportunity doesn't wait for the unprepared. 00:15:56.070 --> 00:15:58.870 Right, right. So it's not just about being in 00:15:58.870 --> 00:16:00.350 the right place at the right time. It's about 00:16:00.350 --> 00:16:03.350 being ready. Yeah. Having the knowledge, the 00:16:03.350 --> 00:16:05.830 skill. And the resources. So you could jump on 00:16:05.830 --> 00:16:08.070 those chances. Luck might play a role, but it's 00:16:08.070 --> 00:16:10.029 not the whole story. It's about putting yourself 00:16:10.029 --> 00:16:12.830 in a position to be lucky. Exactly. And that 00:16:12.830 --> 00:16:15.769 takes effort preparation. All right. So as we 00:16:15.769 --> 00:16:18.049 wrap up our deep dive into Babylonian wisdom. 00:16:18.620 --> 00:16:20.539 Let's recap, shall we? Sure, let's do it. Those 00:16:20.539 --> 00:16:22.980 seven cures, they're our foundation. Start thy 00:16:22.980 --> 00:16:25.440 purse to fattening. Control thy expenditures. 00:16:25.820 --> 00:16:28.740 Make thy gold multiply. Guard thy treasures from 00:16:28.740 --> 00:16:31.799 loss. Make of thy dwelling a profitable investment. 00:16:32.820 --> 00:16:36.080 Ensure a future income. Increase thy ability 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:38.519 to earn. Seek wisdom from those who possess it. 00:16:38.620 --> 00:16:41.419 And build a strong financial foundation. And 00:16:41.419 --> 00:16:43.840 remember, listeners, luck favors the prepared. 00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:46.580 Thanks for joining us on this journey. May your 00:16:46.580 --> 00:16:48.639 purses be full and your financial foundations 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:52.139 strong. Until next time, keep exploring, keep 00:16:52.139 --> 00:16:54.440 learning, and keep diving deep.