26/08/21
Most people feel wealth will bring in happiness and contentment.
But, wealth means different things to different people.
Some people assume wealth is the amount of money you have in the bank or your investment portfolio.
Others judge wealth based on the number of material possessions you’re able to buy.
Then there are those people who figure only those with a high enough income can be considered rich.
What constitutes a rich life really depends on your relationship with money and what matters most to you in life.
There are many ways to become wealthy that don’t involve money.
Being content with what you have is a sure sign you’re living a rich life.
When you’re content, a number doesn’t matter as much as your mindset.
The whole point of wealth is that it’s supposed to make your life less stressful.
For many it seems building wealth only intensifies their worries.
I understand some people are more prone to anxiety than others.
This is definitely true of money and anything else you’re dealing with that involves uncertainty about the future.
There is always going to be something to worry about when it comes to building or preserving wealth.
What if the market crashes and doesn’t come back?
What if inflation is much higher than expected?
What if I lose my job?
What if the economy goes into a terrible recession?
What if I pick the wrong investments?
What if I’m not saving enough?
What if I’m saving too much?
Most people drive themselves crazy going down the rabbit hole of potential financial landmines.
Our point here is that after a certain point you just have to control what you control and then let the chips fall where they may.
If you can control your spending, live below your means, save enough for your retirement, diversify your investments and plan ahead for your financial future, that’s about the best you can do.
From there you make course corrections along the way but all of the others risks are out of your hands. You simply can’t control everything.
There is nothing wrong with striving to do better and improve your lot in life.
But if you can combine the desire to do better with the ability to be content with what you have, that’s the sweet spot.
The person with some savings who is comfortable with their place in life and grateful for what they have is far wealthier than the person with tens of millions, but the inability to enjoy it or stop worrying so much about status and money.
Nick Murray said it best in Simple Wealth, Inevitable Wealth, when he wrote, “No matter how much money you have, if you’re still worried, you aren’t wealthy.”
Be content & stay blessed forever.