Stop Building Wealth, Start Living Wealthy

We’re told that net worth is the ultimate measure of wealth.  Dots on a piece of paper. Numbers. Assets.

But what happens if you live in scarcity and don’t enjoy the money you earn? Or what if the more you gain, the more you feel you could lose? Or managing the assets robs you of key moments in life. Working so hard that you have no time to enjoy the fruits of your labor?

What if each time you reach an outcome, a goal, a new one is invented? And before you celebrate or enjoy the achievement, you are already eyeing something new. Or you compare yourself to someone seemingly ahead.

What if everything we have been taught about wealth leads to sacrificing relationships and diminishes our ability to enjoy the moment?

This even happens with people who win at the highest, most public level.

The Super Bowl.
The big game.
Plenty of commercials.
Lots of food.
Tons of hype.

I recently watched Enigma, the Aaron Rogers documentary. He talked about the letdown or hollow feeling after reaching his goal. Despite achieving his lifelong dream, Rodgers describes feeling an unexpected sense of emptiness and questioning his identity, leading him to ask, “Now what?” This introspection prompted him to explore various spiritual paths and practices in search of deeper fulfillment beyond his athletic accomplishments.

This is not an isolated incident or story.
Many athletes who have won have similar thoughts and feelings.

What if in the pursuit of the goal, your version of the Super Bowl, you lose sight that you have already won?
You are alive.
You are free to make your next move and your next choice, learn from the past, and create a game worth playing.

Wealth is an emotion. It is a state of being more than a state of having. It is the ability to have peace, to be present, and to live a life you love.

Beyond one outcome, beyond a singular goal, what fulfills you?
Do you enjoy the process and journey along the way?
Do you do work that you can fall in love with, that you are in love with?

When you design a game worth playing, you win.
The win… is in the work.

Instead of comparing yourself to others, compete with yourself, and improve each day.  Progress, not perfection.

Win, then play.

Playing to win is a non-stop pursuit of a moving target. It is all about the future at the expense of today.  It provides more riches than playing not to lose.

Think about those teams where the defense plays not to lose. They sluff off.  They try to prevent a big play, allowing the other team to drive down the field.

Playing not to lose focuses on the past. Playing to win looks to the future. What about the present, what about today?

Control the controllables. What you focus on, what you pay attention to, and the following action you take. What would it take to create the life you don’t want to retire from (even if you could)?

Jealousy comes when we lack clarity about our model, lifestyle, daily actions, development…it comes from a lack of our personal vision. It is challenging to be present when we are working to prove someone wrong, lack boundaries, or aren’t intentional with our time and calendar.

What is your game?
What is your win?
What is the game worth playing?

It is this simple and this hard: Build the life you love. Design the life you love. To live a life of love.

Wealth is a series of choices. It comes from gratitude, service, and value creation. It exists from moment to moment as we master our mind and fall in love serving people.

It doesn’t come from being cheap, it doesn’t come from working ourselves to death either.  It requires a work ethic for sure. It comes from resisting busyness, taking time to think, and knowing our vision. It happens when we know our value and live that value. It comes from within. Our inner conversations and outward collaborations.

When we can dedicate our life to cultivating our gifts, appreciating what we have, learning from our mistakes, and pouring love into everything we do.

Going to school, getting good grades, getting a job, saving as much money as possible, and locking that money away into a retirement plan for one day someday, doesn’t work anymore. It didn’t ever work that well.

If you believe in the indoctrination that getting more and more degrees to trade time for money and sacrifice for thirty years, you will limit your joy. You will sacrifice the best version of who you are for a far-off, hollow promise. You may do all you were told and end up retiring. But as far as I’m concerned, if I am wanting to retire, I am doing it wrong.

What about the memories along the way? Taking trips and creating memories now and in the future. Investing in ourselves, in growing ourselves and in our ability. In building more relationships and deepening the ones we have.

If it is work, work, work, sleep, and repeat, what do we miss out on? And what is the payoff? Net worth?

Designing the life you love is hard work, but it is smart work, too. Learning to say no to distractions disguised as opportunities is a skill; it requires a different muscle, the muscle of the mind.

Money isn’t valuable if we never enjoy, spend, or share it. You can become a broke millionaire with money but little else. What if the Super Bowl is someone else’s dream? Yes, you get respect and accolades, but if it isn’t your purpose, if you don’t enjoy the work, and if it drains your energy and life…create a new game.

Create an infinite game.
One you can dedicate your life to.
One that you invent.
One that comes from your Soul Purpose.
Where you remember why you are here, what lights you up, and give you life.

You may have to stop “people-pleasing” in order to be liked. Saying yes when what you mean is no.  Or doing something “just” for the benefits or money.

Change the conversation.
What would you give up to be all you can be?
What stories hold you back?
What can you dedicate and commit your life and time to that doesn’t feel like a sacrifice?

Only you can answer these questions.
If you chase moving targets and define your life by external accomplishment, it will be hard to ever feel or be wealthy.

Wealth is a by-product of a life well-lived.
Again, how can you live your best life?
Who would you have to stand up to?
What would have to change?

Wealth comes from committed conversation followed by imperfect action.
You may have to suck before you develop new skills. That is part of the process. Get to know yourself. Your skills. Your value.

What could you dedicate years, even decades to?  Do you have the patience and persistence to discover who you are and what you could be?  I’m here, cheering you on.  Take the leap of faith on yourself.  It’s worth it, even if it is hard.  It is hard work worth doing.
Rewarding and rich.

You’ve got this.
We’ve got this.
Let’s go!