The New Meaning of Rich by Evan Tarver - HTML preview

Afterward

Well, there you have it. Have you changed your idea of what wealth really means?

If not, it’s OK. Mindset shifts like these take a while to take root. But, I challenge you to try and follow the definition of Wealth laid out in this book, for at least a while. Live by its principles so you can follow your passion, design your life, live your truth, and make money while you do it.

The key is that we – as a collective group – need to shake ourselves out of the traditional mindset taught to us since we were young. It’s hard to rid ourselves of social conditioning, but it’s a task with great reward: maybe the greatest.

With a traditional view of wealth, we end up chasing a goal that, in the end, doesn’t even matter.

What’s the point of life? That’s what the true meaning of Wealth seeks to answer.

The point of life is not work, its not material possessions, and its not even status. The point of life is a collection of positive experiences that start a cycle of continuous self-improvement, so that in the end, you help others improve themselves.

That’s the point of life, the meaning of it all. Think of it this way: At your funeral, who will be there?

It’s through a collection of experiences with personally important people that, at the end of it all, you’ve mattered. Wealth shouldn’t be measured by the amount of money you have in your bank account when you die, but rather by the amount of people you affected before you leave.

Who’s wealthier, he who dies with a robust bank account and the “status” of traditional wealth, or he who dies with a robust life full of unique experiences with unique people, so that at the end, the service can’t hold the amount of people who came to show their respects?

The question’s rhetorical, but I think you know the unspoken answer. The legacy you leave behind is the most valuable thing you can build.

And the beauty of it all? Money follows a passionate life filled with amazing experiences.  So, if you focus on living a life that makes a difference, chances are you’ll have also accumulated traditional wealth and status.

Live with passion, live with purpose, live with unbridled joy, and ultimately, live a life unafraid of stepping off the beaten path; success will follow your path, and not the other way around. Give it a shot.

As we come to a close, I’d like to leave you with two quotes by two greats. The first, by Nelson Mandela, and the second by Harriet Tubman:

“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”

And finally:

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars and to change the world.”

Even if the world you change is the world of a single individual, you’ll be worth it.

You are worth it.