On Easter Sunday 1976, Bertha Adams, a 71-year- old West Palm Beach woman, died of malnutrition. At the time of her death, Bertha weighed just 50 pounds. When authorities investigated the situation, they learned that she had been living hand-to-mouth and on several occasions, had resorted to begging her neighbors for food. A visit to her home revealed that Bertha had lived the life of penniless recluse. Her home was in shambles but amongst the debris, they found two keys to safety deposit banks at two different banks. So you can imagine the shock and dismay the authorities felt when they discovered more than $1 million worth of stock certificates and cash tucked away in those boxes.

Apparently, Bertha had been unaware of the contents of these boxes. As a result, she died in poverty when she could have lived in luxury. Many of the investigators wondered how such a thing could happen. However, in my travels as a speaker and personal coach, I know all too well how such a thing can happen. In fact, I encounter people similar to this little old lady every day.

These people possess an abundance of potential, yet they live with scarcity. They have just enough money to make it through the month though they have skills and talents worth millions. They experience just enough joy and satisfaction though they are surrounded with a multitude of friends and loved ones. They barely have enough energy to make it through the day though they have every reason to be enthusiastic of about their lives. In short, these people live well beneath their privilege and for just the same reason that Bertha did - they don't know the treasures they have in store.

Sadly, we all have a little Bertha inside of us. I know that I did. While I made my first fortune as a relatively young man, I could have done it even earlier. I spent a few years floundering from one job to the other until I found one of my keys - the ability to motivate and inspire. And even after I had so called "made it," I was still didn't realize the worth of what I had attained. If I had, I would have never thrown it all away chasing a few extra bucks. But that is precisely the kind of thing people do when they don't realize what they have.