As a child, I was often fascinated with the resourcefulness and creativeness of children I knew whose families had little money and few toys. These kids came up with really original games, made fantastic tree forts, and developed determination to learn things which discouraged kids who had been born into an easier life. Kids who chose to challenge themselves didn't need money, though some had it.
As I grew older, I was continually inspired by people who were drawn to challenges. Why? They didn't let their circumstances control them or hold them back. Instead, they were able to nurture an imagination that helped them create visions to work toward. This only cost them their time. Skills they learned as children taught them to find ways to realize dreams. They already knew more than one option exists to get to where you wish to go.
If you seek money in life, this doesn't necessarily make you materialistic. You may benefit from learning how people with little resources can and do astonishing things to become financially successful. I would recommend "You Have 3 Minutes!"
Amazon.com: You Have Three Minutes! Learn the Secret of the Pitch from Trump's Original Apprentice: Books: Ricardo Bellino
You may have heard of rich people not knowing what to do with their money. Some of them have the "with what" otherwise known as "the how," but they may not always have clear ideas "why."
Baltar makes a great point that contributions to society do come in different sizes. Yet, why do many people seem so convinced that the "biggest" or "best" contributions necessarily need money? Money does have exchange value, and if you have it, you can do things people without it can't. Yet, donating time and compassion can mean far more. If you look at individuals who truly make a difference in the lives of others around the world, they don't seek to boast or quantify numbers, and the vast majority give of themselves. That's something money doesn't usually buy.
