Wealth to me is not about money.
I gauge my wealth on the relationships I have, the quality of time I am able to enjoy with my family, the level of joy and happiness I feel when I am able to provide experiences and special moments with my children. Yes, money does afford me the ability to create certain experiences with my family and friends, but I don't measure my wealth by the size of my bank account.
By focusing on Wealth as a whole, money becomes a by-product, not the end goal. My goal is to be wealthy and to attain that goal, I have to work strategically to create the financial freedom and flexibility I need. So often, focusing on the wrong part of a goal can leave us feeling disappointed or like a failure when we don't achieve that vision. Let me give you an example of this is concept in action.
A fellow runner once told me that she used to be 100 pounds overweight. I could not believe her as she was strong, slim and a particularly good marathon runner. She explained that for years she had tried to lose weight jumping from one diet to the next, always focusing on weight-loss; if there was one day that she cheated, she felt like a failure and just gave up on the diet altogether.
Then, she decided to give running a try- for the first time. She signed herself up for a half-marathon and began to focus on becoming a runner. She told herself she was a runner and her daily food choices and working out schedule was aligned with her goal of becoming a runner-not on losing weight or on a particular number on the scale. Within months, she had lost a substantial amount of weight and eventually met her “original” goal.
More importantly, however, she found a healthy passion that she truly enjoyed & enriched her life in a myriad of ways. Her Goal was to complete a half-marathon: losing weight was the by-product, or side-effect.
Sometimes a simple, but significant change in your perspective can bring about the results we have been looking for all along- plus so much more.
So- take this to heart the next time you’re approaching your work or finances- ask yourself: “Am I living to work, OR should I be working to live- or to even THRIVE?”
- By Jodie Sacco, © 2019, Phillips Ballenger, PLLC
Photo by Sai De Silva on Unsplash