When you set up a goal of only making money, you are setting yourself up for trouble.
Because money is not a product or a service. It’s the reward for creating and exchanging a product that others find desirable.
A product is a finished, high-quality article or service in the hands of the consumer in exchange for some valuable consideration.
Money is an idea that is backed by the confidence that it will be exchangeable with others for what you need and want. Others accept money only if they also believe they also will be able to exchange it for what they need and want.
When the entire focus of an activity is obtaining money, with no exchange, it readily tends to deteriorate into a criminal activity, i.e., taking something from people and giving nothing in return (such as lawyers, banksters, con-men and other thieves).
When what you exchange with others is only partially workable, to that degree you’re moving in the direction of criminality: you’re taking 
something and giving less than they expect. For instance, if you borrow money but don’t repay it when promised; or if you provide a meal, but it’s cold and unattractive; you’re acting like a criminal even if you are not yet one.
In usual, honest business activity – not the type of criminality so prominent in the news of the day – there exists an exchange that is fair to both parties, known as fair business practices. This has been the order of the day in American business for many decades. Of late however, it has changed into the idea that business is “what you get away with” and the public be damned.
The best businesses know from long experience that to attract customers who keep coming back and tell others enthusiastically about your product or service, the focus must by on giving them more than they expected every time they interact with you. They deliver what they promised and more!
This concept is in fact the easiest way to run any business successfully. Give them more than they expected; a better quality product, better service, friendlier staff, better organization, comfortable facilities, pleasant surroundings, attention to details that are most important, which of course, is the customer.
Bernie Madoff
Criminals waste their most valuable asset (their attention) on finding ways to get something for nothing. In the beginning, then think they can change the laws of nature and avoid the inevitable consequences. They can’t. Words have meaning and actions have consequences. Always. Criminals can’t produce. They can’t work.
The result of their “help” is inevitably injurious. Their entire focus is to find ways of avoiding. Their outward persona may tell you want you want to hear, but they’re not telling you the whole story. Inside, they are not happy people. They are getting something for nothing and deep down they know it.
No matter how well justified, they eventually are exposed for what they really are: weak, arrogant people that leave destroyed lives of others in their wake. This is not a route to happiness or health.
Criminals hold the misconception that money IS a product, which is why they have troubles and problems with money constantly. But it’s not a product. Money is only an idea supported by the confidence that others will accept it in exchange for something else.
Keep your focus on the right target: giving help, effective assistance, exchanging friendly, efficient, excellent services or products that customers need and want. This way you’ll never fall into the trap of believing that you can get something for nothing – you can’t – it’s just not worth the effort to try. Criminals do produce something though . . . misery, turmoil and stress for everyone, including themselves.
The age-old idea of karma does have some relevance here too.
You do tend to get what you put out. And what you put out does come back around, eventually.
Put your focus on providing honest, friendly service and worthwhile valuable products and you’ll never go wrong. Money will find it’s way to you without effort.
daniel w. jacobs
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