This piece is part of my 2016–2026 archive migration. Some original formatting, content, and external links may be missing, changed, or not be optimized.
Wealth is whatever number you decide
Wealth is not only monetary. Wealth factors in your relationships, health, and purpose.
We don’t need to be billionaires. Heck, we don’t need to be mega-millionaires either. And for many others, they don’t even need to be millionaires because their cost of living is so damn cheap. Everyone has different standards of living. Everyone has different goals. Everyone has different values.
It might be hard to believe, but you don’t need to be a millionaire or billionaire to be wealthy. All you need to be wealthy (outside of relationships, health, and purpose) is to know your number.
What will it take for you to stop working a career that isn’t interesting to you? What will it take for you to start focusing more on the avenues of life that are more interesting to you? Don’t get me wrong, we can explore everything we want to pursue now, but when you’re tied down to a job that takes up considerable energy and time, it can be challenging to focus on the things we are most passionate about.
Some people might say $1,000,000 because their cost of living is meager, they have multiple passive income streams, they have a part-time job that will cover most of their expenses, or they don’t plan on quitting the dream job they finally landed. Whatever your number is, figure it out today. The danger of not having a financial goal is that you work without any aim, which means you never arrive there.
Whether your number is 10,000,000 or 500,000, determine the steps it will take for you to arrive there by your set timeline. And once you arrive there, remember it’s okay to slow down, pause, reflect, and re-evaluate your priorities. It’s easy to work ourselves to the bone, but we must remember that we don’t need to do this. We can set a target, reach it, and lay low.
Our work-obsessed and money-obsessed culture has negatively impacted our health, relationships, and values. It’s time to change the culture and ensure we live by our values.
What does wealth look and feel like for you? Your answer might not be the same as what you’ve been taught or how people close to you might respond. Take time to think about this, define it, and live by it.
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.