Solve Some of the World's Most Difficult Porblems

Good morning, Live Better than a Billionaire-a-Holics!

Are you feeling motivated this morning? I certainly hope so. I know that I am!

Imagine a billionaire trying to solve a world problem, and the image you will probably see is of a prominent person meeting around a table in a conference room with advisors. Or you may see a public presentation where an oversized check with lots of zeros on it is being handed to the head of a charity.

What do most billionaires know about solving world problems? In many cases, very little.

It's not surprising. Consider Donald Trump. He lives in Trump Tower. He may see some homeless people occasionally from a limousine, but he's not likely to understand about the AIDS crisis in Africa, the many people who suffer from malaria in Asia or the destruction of the rain forests around the equator. He's obviously a smart guy and could learn about these things, but he doesn't live anywhere near the problems. They aren't likely to grab his attention.

Consider instead Bill Gates. He and his wife, Melinda, have created a large foundation to improve conditions for everyone around the world. One of the major initiatives is to provide vaccinations for children who wouldn't otherwise receive any. With this investment into health, millions will live better and happier lives. It's a wonderful thing to do, and I honor the Gates' for their wisdom and generosity.

But even if all the billionaires gave all their wealth away, the bulk of the world's problems would remain.

Why? Money goes just so far in solving problems.

In fact, most problems don't require any more money at all to solve.

Two things are missing: An understanding of what better alternatives are and a process for creating the necessary changes.

Let's consider the first point. Experts in developed countries always seem to have lots of better alternatives. But few of those alternatives have been used in lesser developed countries or by poor people.

From this experience, it becomes clear that the solutions developed by those who live in the situation and who are most affected by it are usually the most effective.

Change processes are another problem area. Big picture experts often want to do big projects involving billions and assume that the benefits will find their way back to everyone. In many environments, that's a bad assumption. Most of the money will be drained off by corruption and bad practices before it's turned into anything useful, and many of the projects won't have much impact on the bulk of the people. If you don't have electricity, a new dam that lowers the cost of electricity has very little impact on you.

Change occurs best when those who need the change welcome and nurture it.

For example, if you put in a well somewhere for a village, everyone will love having the water. But if the well relies of keeping the pump going, that well won't be working as soon as the first pump wears out. But if the villagers decide they want a well, they will either dig one that doesn't require a pump . . . or will be sure that several people in the village learn how to repair pumps.

From working with people around the world to solve pressing social problems, I am constantly struck that there seem to be no problems that cannot be greatly alleviated with relatively few financial resources.

But you do need a magic combination: Knowledge of local conditions, practices and beliefs . . . and an understanding of how to technically change the underlying circumstance. Anyone who lives in a community has the former. Those who know engineering and management typically have the latter.

Since there are few billionaires who have this combination, they usually cannot be on the front lines of the rewarding activity of making large, fundamental improvements.

Are you interested in being such a person? Good for you!

I recommend that you visit my blogs Be a World Hero Better than a Billionaire at http://beaworldherobetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/ and
Create Your Own 2,000 Percent Solutions at
http://2000percentsolutions.blogspot.com/ for more information.

How could a billionaire do better?

I see one opportunity. A billionaire could encourage the spread of such problem solving skills among those have the technical knowledge to make improvements and live in communities that are strongly affected by the problems. A recent example of how the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation is making a difference will be explored in tomorrow's blog post.

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N.B. As you can tell, I'm experimenting with color. Let me know what you like and what I should change about my use of color. Many thanks to Linda Grace for her suggestions which I am following!

Please let me know what else you would like to learn, and I'll do my best to help in future blog entries.

Here are some upcoming subjects:

Tomorrow, let's look at a public high school that's better in many ways than the world's most elite academies where billionaires send their offspring. You'll be thankful that such a wonderful approach is available to our young people.

Friday, I'll write about how to do your Christmas shopping as inexpensively and luxuriously as possible.

On Saturday, let's explore a beautiful living check list that will put you ahead of any billionaire you can think of . . . and make you the envy of your family and friends . . . as you enjoy delight after delight.

Sunday, we'll describe how to fill your day with spiritual delights!

On Monday, let's look at how you can have a billionaire mind. Be sure to read this post!

Tuesday, we'll look at the time wasters that are costing you a billionaire's lifestyle.

If you are new to this blog, be sure to check out the updated table of contents entry that I posted on November 16. The table of contents will help you find earlier entries that may be of interest. I'll update this table of contents every week or so for your convenience.

August 31 was the most frequently read blog entry to date. Be sure to check it out!

Thanks so much for your support of this blog. I'm delighted that so many tens of thousands of people have made this blog part of their regular reading habit!

If you like this blog, please let others know who might also enjoy it. E-mailing your favorite post to them is a great idea.

Check out the latest index at http://livebetterthanabillionaireon5dollars.blogspot.com/2005/11/latest-table-of-contents-to-this-blogs_16.html to pick out your choice.

Thank you to my many friends, students, clients and blog readers who are spreading the good word about this blog.

If you are visiting today because someone invited you, I'm delighted to meet you! Let's stay in touch.

Remember to also visit

Live Spiritually Better than a Billionaire at http://livespirituallybetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Be More Successful than a Billionaire at http://bemoresuccessfulthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Create Your Own 2,000 Percent Solutions at
http://2000percentsolutions.blogspot.com/,

Enjoy Mansions Better than a Billionaire at http://enjoymansionsbetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Enjoy Football Better than a Billionaire at http://enjoyfootballbetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/ and

Be a World Hero Better than a Billionaire at http://beaworldherobetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/.

I offer individual on-line tutorials and in-person seminars on living better than a billionaire on five dollars extra a day, creating 2,000 percent solutions (20 times the results with the same effort), developing more profitable business models and designing strategies that work regardless of the business environment. For information, contact me at ultimatecompetitiveadvantage@yahoo.com.

I am available to you as a speaker on these subjects. You can find my background at http://livebetterthanabillionaireon5dollars.blogspot.com/2005_08_30_livebetterthanabillionaireon5dollars_archive.html/.

May God bless you.

Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2005 Donald W. Mitchell