The Beggar Who Became a Businessman – Story no. 10

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A beggar was sitting at the train station with a bowl full of pencils. A young executive passed by and dropped a dollar in the bowl. He then boarded the train.

Before the doors closed, something came to his mind and he went back to the beggar, took a few pencils from the bowl and said,

“They are priced right. After all you are a business person and so am I” and he left.

After couple of years, the executive attended a party. The beggar was also there but this time in the suit and tie. The beggar recognized the executive, went up to him and said,

“You probably don’t recognize me but I remember you.”

He then narrated the incident that happened 2 years ago. The executive said,

“Now that you have reminded me you were that beggar sitting at the train station, tell me what are you doing here in the suit and tie?”

The beggar replied, “You probably don’t know what you did for me that day. You were the first person in my life who gave me my dignity. You grabbed the bunch of pencils and said you are a business person and so am I.

After you left, I thought to myself what I am doing here at the train station? I packed my bag and decided to start selling pencils. I started small and with honesty and hard-work today I am here. I just want to thank you for giving me back my dignity. That incident changed my life.” 

What is the moral of this story?

• The executive said a few magical words to increase the self-esteem of the beggar. Self-esteem is a major component in determining success or failure.

• Self-esteem is a feeling which comes by knowing that whatever work you are doing is good and by knowing it your productivity and efficiency goes up.

• Self-esteem makes a person self-motivated and ambitious.

• People with high self-esteem don’t compete with others instead they improve their own performance. They compete against themselves.

Lakhvir

Lakhvir is a personal finance expert. Once he was deeply in debt, he read everything he could about personal finance to get out of debt and to invest his money wisely. He likes to read books and share with others what he learns from these best-selling books.

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