Contentment Overview

Life and Stewardship

A sandwich and a glass of milk provide nutritional value whether they are
served with elegance or simplicity. But even the best sandwich will not
keep you from getting hungry again.
Pursuit

Some have given their lives to their work, securing the extras for their
families, or pursuing worthy causes, but there will always be room for
improvement in your profession, your familys status, and the
world around you.
Covetousness motivates you to want for yourself what
you see others enjoying. It might cause you to embezzle
funds, but more often it causes you to expect happiness in
a new career, look for fulfillment in a new hobby, or
impress others by remodeling your house.
Purpose

Contentment motivates you to manage your resources in order to fulfill

your responsibilities. Contentment gives you the perspective to
understand what purposes your projects and possessions serve.
Otherwise, the busyness of making a profit can blind you to customer
needs, or you can work so hard to buy a bigger house that you neglect the
relationships inside.
Your resources and opportunities are only as good as
the priorities that determine how you invest them.
Thus, a poor man can work faithfully, sacrifice for his
childrens education, give to the occasional friend in
need, and live a fuller life than the man who had it all
but wanted just a little more.
Peace

Your contentment is most evident when you value those who cost you
something. When a coworkers mistake slows a project, you show
contentment by helping him or her. When aging grandparents complicate
your social plans, you show contentment by meeting the need without
resenting your grandparents.

The more content a person becomes, the more satisfaction he or she finds
in fulfilling responsibilities, building good relationships, and helping others
succeed.
Become a good steward of your resources and opportunities instead of
developing expectations based on what you think you deserve.

Five Keys to Building Contentment

1. Check Your Desires

Carefully consider what you think you need.

Acquiring a new computer or car might not always
help you fulfill your responsibilities more efficiently.
Some desires can blind you to what really matters, and
some projects can become so all-consuming that you
lose sight of the goal. Discern what you need in order
to fulfill your responsibilities, and consider what will
matter five or ten years from now.
2. Enjoy What You Have

Be grateful for what you have instead of comparing yourself to others.

Envying others keeps you from finding creative alternatives and makes it
harder to roll with your situation. Appreciate unexpected benefits when
they come.

3. Value Relationships

Over a lifetime, a person will interact with all kinds of family members,
coworkers, and others. Each relationship brings unique possibilities, but
the attitudes you demonstrate and the investments you make can benefit
future generations. Respect the influence others have on your life. Do not
view relationships merely as a means to enhance your social or economic
status, and do not treat others as projects to be straightened out.
4. Live Within Your Means

Set priorities so that you can address real needs and choose the best
investments. Do not buy things just to impress someone else, and do not
buy anything you do not need, even if it is on sale. Check regularly to
make sure your everyday decisions match your goals. True success
depends on the depth of your character, not your pocketbook.
5. Give to Others

Things can serve people, or people can serve things.

Use your possessions to benefit others. Identify needs
and help those in difficult circumstances. Invest your
resources where they will do the most good and give
generously to others needs, without expecting the
recipients to remember you.

Contentment Application Discussion Questions

Break into small groups. Have each group read one of the five keys above
and discuss the corresponding question below. Share answers and
personal applications with everyone.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

When looking at new work equipment, how do you distinguish a

need from a want?
How can you enjoy your current workplace?
How do your buying decisions reflect the value of relationships?
What tough choices have you made in order to live within your
budget?
How can you become more aware of customer needs?

Word Etymology
Contentment finds its roots in the word content,
which can refer to either "that which is inside of
something" or "being satisfied with ones present
circumstances." Both uses of the word come from
continere, a Latin verb meaning "to hold together,
bind; limit; enclose; surround."
When we think of contentment, we sometimes associate it with poverty,
but true contentment fosters real appreciation for what we already have
rather than the anxious pursuit of what we do not have.
Contentment n 1: the state, quality, or fact of being satisfied 2: being
comforted 3: not craving something more or different.

Contentment In Balance
Take Action

Initiative is recognizing and doing what needs to

be done before I am asked to do it. Do not wait
for perfect circumstances. A content person works
with available resources in order to accomplish
what needs to be done. Fulfill your responsibilities
without being reminded.
Pursue Excellence

Virtue is the moral excellence evident in my life as I consistently do what

is right. Distinguish contentment from complacency. The bad habits and
soft choices you excuse will eventually undermine your integrity.
Recognize your failures and address the underlying bad attitudes and
character flaws.
Share Freely

Generosity is carefully managing my resources so I can freely give to

those in need. Talent, material wealth, personal prestige, and other
advantages serve no good purpose when you hoard them. Your motives,
not your net worth, reveal your contentment. Whatever your status, take
responsibility for what you have by using it to meet needs.

Leadership Tips
In First, Break All the Rules, Marcus Buckingham
Curt Coffman identify four keys to great
management based on The Gallup Organizations
research of top managers. The research indicated
employee retention depends most directly on the
relationship between an employee and his or her
immediate supervisor. Here are a few ideas.

and

Identify others talents instead of trying to fix

weaknesses.
Get to know each coworker so that you can identify
what really motivates him or her.
Help others develop the skills and knowledge they
need to best use their talents.
Know what talents suit a person for a particular role, and help others
find their niches.
Avoid promoting a great salesman into a mediocre manager. Look
for other ways to advance and compensate those individuals.
Define the desired outcome, let coworkers use their talents to
achieve the goal, and help coworkers learn from the results.

Contentment From Within

The French author Richelieu, even at the height of his career, couldn't
appreciate the full extent of his achievements. Reportedly, Richelieu,
envious of Balzac's fame, offered another man a gift to publicly ridicule
Balzac's literature. Like many, Richelieu's discontent made him unable to
enjoy his achievements and drove him to bitterness and misery.
Contentment begins with a choice and is maintained by self-discipline.
Some of the happiest people have nothing while some of the most
miserable individuals seem to have everything. Enjoy what you have, and
make the most of it.

Employee Tips
Familiar and Improved
Maximize your resources rather than pursuing the latest
gadget.

Learn the functions of each piece of equipment or computer

program so that you can do a more efficient job.
Learn keyboard shortcuts.
Monitor developments in your field and related areas so that you
can improve your approach.
Identify the most useful information, and see how you can improve
the process before buying expensive new technology.
Build on what you do well, and find teammates who are strong
where you are weak.
When you make a mistake, learn from the problem and move on.
Express gratefulness for what your coworkers do.
Keep supply rooms organized and accessible.
Do not hoard company supplies in your workspace.
Notice changes in customer demand, and find out what drives them.

Praising Contentment
When William Penn set out to build a colony in
what is now Pennsylvania, he was more concerned with
the kinds of men placed in government than the
laws instituted. Penn wrote:
Governments, like clocks, go from the motion men give
them. I know some say, "Let us have good laws and
no matter for the men that execute them." But let
them consider that though good laws do well, good
men do better; for good laws may [lack] good men...but
good men will never [lack] good laws nor [allow bad] ones.
Similarly, you can establish policies and practices
that emphasize integrity and consideration for others, but if your people
lack the contentment to recognize values beyond material possessions,
your organization will change little.
Like humility, contentment is least noticeable when most present. Honor
those employees who have faithfully worked for your organization over
the years and who don't complain about inconvenience or monotony.
Recognize a co-worker who continues giving his or her best, even when
edged out of a promotion he or she deserved.
Take the initiative to identify those who demonstrate contentment,
wherever they are.

Contentment On The Job

Hit the Mark
The desire for gain motivates everyone. The trouble
starts when personal ambition obscures responsibilities
and warps priorities. Contentment frees you from these
hindrances and allows you to work with others
toward worthwhile goals.
Consider

Determine what responsibilities you have, and discern what you

need in order to do your job.
Anticipate your needs over the life expectancy of an item when
deciding what features you need.
Evaluate whether this purchase will help you reach long-term goals.
Consider how pursuing a particular desire will help you benefit your
coworkers and your organization.
Live

Allow yourself to enjoy the people and processes you encounter

each day.
Take care of what you have, even if it is old or outdated.
Identify your talents, and use them productively.
Learn everything about your equipment so that you can get the
most out of it.
Connect

Examine how each decision will help you build and maintain
relationships.
Value coworkers as individuals, not just for how they can help you
advance.
Look for ways to invest your time and resources in others.
Value customers as individuals with needs you can meet.
Express joy when others succeed.

Prioritize

Set spending limits to keep from exhausting your resources.

Do not waste time or energy keeping up appearances.

Look for the most cost-effective way of fulfilling your goals and
responsibilities.
Share

Remember that money and possessions come and go.

Manage equipment and resources so that you can help others when
needs arise.
Offer resources and time to others when they need help.
Give without expecting anything in return.

Contentment in Relationships
The Good Deal
Many relationships end over disagreements about
money. Anxiety over bills, clothes, home upkeep,
and car repairs can create tension. These basic
concerns become worse if someone adds competition
with the neighbors or gambling.
Resist Temptation

A content person has values beyond material possessions and personal

happiness. This outlook allows a person to identify real needs and build
sales resistance instead of falling for the slickest advertisement or being
distracted by what others are doing.
Develop habits that reflect the priorities of contentment. The next time
you face a conflict over money, ask yourself whether you are making the
most of your resources and benefiting others or trying to secure
something for yourself.
Meet Needs

Consider whether you need an item, and identify exactly what you
need it to do.
Consult with wise friends and family members.
Know what you are buying. Do research.
Save money by purchasing with cash, instead of borrowing or using
a credit card.
Shop for a good deal. Look for sales, use coupons, and buy used
items.
Start looking early enough so that you have time to find the best
deal.
Avoid impulse spending. Wait 24 hours before making major
purchases. Ask yourself, Would I rather have something else? and
Will it last?
Teach your children to measure expenses in terms of the time it
takes to earn the money.
Consider upgrading what you have if it will do the job.

Maintain your belongings. Regular maintenance costs less than

major repairs.
Remember the purpose for your possessions. A cars primary
purpose is transportation. A houses primary function is shelter.

Can you part with it?

What about them?

Younger children often notice their privileges differ from
those of older siblings.

Point out how greater freedom brings greater

responsibility, and challenge younger children to fulfill
their responsibilities faithfully.
Discuss
how
individuals
need
differing
encouragement,
responsibilities,
challenges,
and
correction.
Help each child understand how he or she
contributes to the family, and discern new ways he or she can help
others.

Clean Your Closet

Cleaning the closet can seem like an unpleasant chore, but for children,
going through a closet can become a hunt for lost treasure.
Focus on making a place for everything so that family members can find
and make the best use of each item. If you have not used something in a
long time, consider whether you need to keep it.
Unused items and outgrown clothing might serve someone else. Have a
garage sale or donate them to a charity.
Help your children sell what they no longer want in order to buy what they
need.

Courage and Contentment

Abigail Adams
I long impatiently to have you upon the stage of action.
The first of the month of September perhaps may be of as
much importance to Great Britain as the Ides of March
were to Caesar. I wish you every public as well as private
blessing, and that wisdom which is profitable both for
instruction and edification, to conduct you in this difficult
day, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband who was serving
in the 1774 Continental Congress.
Learn All You Can

Abigail was born November 11, 1744, to Reverend William and Elizabeth
Quincy Smith in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Abigail remembered her
grandmother Quincy as an oracle of wisdom, and she attributed her
patriotism, religious devotion, and love of family to her grandparents and
her mother. Her love for literature, poetry, and politics
thrived amid the conversations her father had with
visiting students and relatives.
In 1759, John Adams visited Reverend Smith with two
friends. Despite the Smiths higher social standing, John
and Abigail married October 25, 1764, and the couple
lived at Braintree where John practiced law.
Do All You Can

When the General Court of Salem, Massachusetts, sent John to the

Continental Congress, Abigail managed the household and farm. During
the long absences that followed, she wrote to John daily, discussing
livestock, finances, the childrens education, and Johns political activities.
As escalating inflation, illness, and war threatened their resources, she
spun her own cloth and made her own clothing and soap.
When John traveled to Europe as an ambassador in 1778, he took tenyear-old John Quincy with him. Abigail accepted the absence of her
husband and son saying, I asked not my heart what it could, but what it
ought to do.
On June 20, 1784, Abigail and her daughter, Nabby, sailed in the Active.
Storms and rough seas required the passengers to tie themselves to a bed
or chair. Abigail suffered seasickness, rheumatism, and a lack of privacy
throughout the voyage, but when the weather cleared, she made the trip
more enjoyable for all by cleaning the ship and helping the cook.
Abigail and Nabby reunited with John Quincy after a six-year separation on
June 30, and John joined them in London July 9.

As the ambassadors wife, Abigail chose a plain, elegant

wardrobe and furnished their homes in Auteuil and London so
that they could entertain European guests in a style that
represented the new republic.
The family returned to America June 17, 1788. John became
the first vice-president of the United States, and he became the
second president on March 4, 1797. Abigail moved her household
to Philadelphia in May and assumed her role as first lady. Her
schedule began at five oclock each morning, directing the menu and
household preparations to receive an average of sixty guests each day.
Abigail and John retired to Braintree in 1801. Abigail contracted typhoid in
1818 and died October 28. The Boston Columbian Centinel said,
Possessing at every period of life, the unlimited confidence, as well as
affection of her husband, she was admitted at all times to share largely of
his thoughts....In the storm, as well as the smooth sea of life, her virtues
were ever the object of his trust and veneration.

Points to Ponder:

Be grateful for the opportunities you have.

Lay a foundation today so that you can benefit from
tomorrows opportunities.
Value others regardless of social prestige.
Use what you have.
Make others comfort a priority.
Do what is right, even if it requires sacrifice.
Make others successful.

Lessons From the Jackal

Two black-backed jackal populations live on the African
continent. One lives on the horn of Africa and the other
inhabits the southern cape region.
The black and silver hairs covering its back distinguish
this jackal from other species. Jackals have a bushy, foxlike tail, large ears, and pointed facial features. Most
jackals weigh 15 to 30 pounds and stand 17 to 20
inches tall at the shoulder, though males are usually
larger than females.

Seize Opportunity

Jackals generally hunt at dawn and dusk when their prey is most active. A
jackal uses its keen hearing to locate mice, rodents, small reptiles, birds,
termites, and insects. The jackal then pounces like a fox on its prey.
A pack can bring down a gazelle or an antelope, and jackals sometimes
take young sheep or goats from a farmers flock. Jackals also feed on
animals killed by other predators. They follow lions to clean up the prides
kills and are sometimes seen in association with cheetahs.

Use What Is Available

Jackals do not require large amounts of water, and they

utilize any water source they can. Scientists have observed
jackals licking condensed fog from rocks in the Namib
Desert.
Black-backed jackals mate for life and defend their
territory. During the breeding season, a pairs range covers 3 to 21 square
kilometers, depending on how many other pairs occupy the region.
Jackals can dig their own dens, but they commonly use abandoned
aardvark dens, termite mounds, rock crevices, or bushes. Scientists have
observed jackals denning with porcupines on rare occasions.

Raise a Family

The female has 3 to 6 pups after a 60 to 65 day gestation period. Most

births occur between July and October and coincide with the peak birth
rate of the vlei rat and four-striped grass mouse.

Pups explore the den within 2 to 3 weeks, and the female will wean her
pups by 8 to 9 weeks. The young start hunting with their parents by 14
weeks and become fully independent by 11 months, but one or two
mature offspring sometimes stay and help raise the next litter of pups.
Jackals usually live 6 to 8 years in the wild, and up to 14 years in captivity.
They communicate with family members and other jackals through a
system of barks, yaps, and other sounds.

The Jackal in Action

Thrive

Jackals eat fruits, grasses, and insects when they cannot find
carrion or other meat sources. When they do kill a gazelle or
an antelope, they often cache the leftovers to eat later.
Invest

Jackals mate for life and work together to raise their pups. The male
brings food to the female after the pups are born, and both parents
defend their territory.
Adapt

Jackals prefer open terrain to dense ground cover, and they adapt well to
coastal deserts and savannas. The size of a pairs territory depends on the
local population density.
Help

American coyotes fill a similar niche. Both species hearing and sense of
smell helps them benefit other wildlife and humans by reducing mouse
and rat populations.

Contentment and Success

Many associate affluence with privilege, education, and

opulence, but in his book, The Millionaire Mind, Thomas
Stanley reports 70 percent of millionaires have shoes
resoled and 71 percent write out a shopping list before
going to the store.
Show Integrity

When asked what helped them succeed, 57 percent said

honesty was very important followed by being well
disciplined, getting along with people, having a
supportive spouse, working harder than most people, and loving my
career.
Millionaires also ranked social skills such as strong leadership and getting
along with others ahead of having a superior intellect or attending a toprated college. Stanley found little correlation between academic success
and affluence in general.
These results seem to indicate economic success comes more from a
persons talents and discipline than the bare desire to achieve wealth. A
desire to appear wealthy might even keep a person from making good
investments and exercising necessary discipline.
Whatever your advantages or disadvantages, make the most of your
situation in order to provide for those who depend on you.
Make Sound Choices

When asked what factors led them into their vocations, 81 percent said
they chose a vocation that allowed them to use their
abilities, and 66 percent said they saw an opportunity
for financial independence.
But finding the right source of income was just the
beginning. Fifty-seven percent raise the air
conditioner temperature setting during the summer, 74
percent never make unplanned purchases over the
telephone, and 49 percent use coupons for groceries and buy household
supplies at warehouse stores.
When buying a house, 65 percent take time, even months, in order to find
the best deal, 79 percent research recent home prices in the
neighborhood, and 86 percent never pay the initial asking price. Many
also look for existing homes in established neighborhoods.

The success of those who make these lifestyle choices illustrates the
importance of wise stewardship, no matter how many resources you have
to manage.
Develop the contentment to find work you can do well, control your
spending, and secure your family a good home.

Money and Other Stuff

A wealthy businessman noticed a small boat with
several large tuna. He asked the fisherman why he
didn't stay out longer to catch more fish.
"This is enough for my family," the fisherman
replied. "I still have time to play with my children
and walk the beach with my wife."
"You should spend more time fishing," said the businessman. "You could
buy a bigger boat and catch more fish. Eventually you would have a fleet,
and then you could open your own cannery. After 15 to 20 years, you
would have it all!"
"Then what?" asked the fisherman.
"Then you can fish a little, play with your grandchildren, and walk the
beach with your wife."
Don't let tomorrow's possibilities take away your gratitude for the
relationships and the moments you have today. Remember, money can
buy
A bed, but not sleep
A clock, but not time
A book, but not knowledge
Food, but not an appetite
Position, but not respect
Blood, but not life
Medicine, but not health
Luxuries, but not culture
Amusement, but not happiness
A house, but not a home

Picture This
Roll With It
In 1873, the tumbleweed, or Russian thistle, came to
America in flax seed used by Russian immigrants, and
two years later it reached the Pacific Coast.

North
twenty-

The tumbleweeds strength lies in its ability to

tolerate alkaline soils, use whatever moisture it
receives, and produce thousands of seeds. Adult
plants grow up to six feet in diameter before
breaking off to tumble across the landscape and
spread their seeds.
Contentment helps you adapt and make the most
of what is available. Appreciate what you have, be it little or much.