“Some people are so poor, all they have is money.” – Patrick Meagher
Wealth is about so much more than money. Yes, money can give you opportunities, no doubt about that, but there’s so much more to a meaningful life than just making an income.
Here are 7 forms of real wealth to build to lead a rich life and build real wealth.
1. Authenticity
It can be difficult to be completely genuine, especially when there are pressures from society to fit your personality and life into a little predetermined box. You can have a truly meaningful life when you have the bravery to truly be yourself. You are one-of-a-kind. Act like it.
2. Wholehearted Relationships
One of the best parts of life is developing strong, loving relationships with your life partner, family members, and friends. Having relationships where you can be honest and vulnerable and are loved unconditionally is one of the most awesome things to experience. Connection with others makes life amazing.
3. Courage to Find and Do the Work You Love
If you feel stuck and frustrated at work, chances are things aren’t going to magically improve for you. Think ahead and imagine your life if you stay at your current job for 10 more years. Does that make you feel excited? If so, awesome. If it makes you feel sick, start taking steps today to find work you love.
Start becoming a self-expert. Learn everything you can about what excites you, what you can’t stand, what kind of schedule you want, and what kind of impact you want to make on the world.
Take time to find your passion – the thing that completely ignites you – and do more of it. By living passionately, you will inspire others. You will give the people around you hope and permission to also do work they love, and this ripple effect will change the world.
4. Focus
Part of living a meaningful life is focusing. Streamlining your schedule and getting rid of the unimportant junk that sucks your time is important. When you spend your time doing what you love, and get rid of meaningless activities, your life becomes more worthwhile.
A 2014 study found that the average adult ages 35-49 watches more than 33 hours of TV per week. That’s almost a full-time job’s worth of TV every single week. Investing some (or all) of that time into doing something you love can drastically improve your life satisfaction.
5. A Long List of Places You Have Visited
“The world is a book, and those who don’t travel only read one page.” – Augustine of Hippo. I absolutely love to travel. It makes me feel incredibly alive. Getting to see amazing places and meet people from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures enriches your life.
6. A Healthy Mind and Body
Having a healthy mind, free from chronic negativity and void of constant destructive thoughts, is one of the keys to a happy life. Having a healthy body is also incredibly helpful. Your body is your vehicle to carry you on all kinds of awesome adventures. We are only given one body in our lifetime. This world is a huge, amazing place to explore, and taking care of your body allows you to do many more activities.
7. A Meaningful Legacy
Creating something that lasts beyond your lifetime is a very important life stage, according to psychoanalyst Erik Erikson’s theory of psycho-social development. There are millions of options of things you can do to leave a lasting impact on the world. Giving back to the world and building a meaningful legacy is very fulfilling. Think about what you want your footprint to be on this earth, and leave this world a better place because you were here.
Your time here is limited. Be intentional about how you’re spending your time, and who you’re spending it with. There is so much more to a good life than collecting money.
Featured photo credit: Laughing at the Beach / Craig Cochrane via flickr.com
