A Million Dollars Or

One thing I’ve noticed while marketing my newsletter on social media is the flood of posts promising a specific monthly income. “Follow this secret system to make 10K a month!”

But is that really what we’re all chasing? Or is it just what we think we should be chasing because everyone on social media says so?

What I want—what I really, really want (yes, Spice Girls)—is agency and a sense of accomplishment.

Agency: Control Over Your Life

Agency matters. We want to be able to say no. We want control over our time. These are the things that give us a true sense of ownership over our lives. Without agency, even the biggest paycheck feels like golden handcuffs.

Accomplishment: Progress Towards Meaningful Goals

A sense of accomplishment boosts happiness and keeps us motivated. But this often gets confused with the whole follow your passion advice—which, in my opinion, is terrible advice.

The real key? Do what you’re good at, and get even better. Mastery leads to accomplishment, and when you get really good at something, you’d be surprised how much it starts to feel like passion—even if it’s tax accounting.

Rethinking Wealth

This got me thinking about our beliefs around wealth. Do we need to reset our understanding of what real value is? Every social platform is stealing our time and selling us a version of success that they have convinced us we want.

I’m not pretending money doesn’t matter—it absolutely does. But as Sahil Bloom outlines in his new book, The Five Types of Wealth, financial wealth is just one piece of the puzzle. The other four are:

• Time

• Social

• Physical

• Mental

When you have “wealth” in all of these areas, you experience agency and accomplishment—a far richer life than just a big bank balance.

The Trade-Offs of Wealth

Next time you look at your CEO friend or read about the latest billionaire founder, ask yourself: What would I give up to make that kind of money?

Would you spend less time with family? Sacrifice your health? Drain your mental well-being? Cut yourself off from friends?

If you’re reading this newsletter, chances are you’re looking for a way to build something that gives you agency and a sense of accomplishment—without selling your soul.

Recommendation: The Five Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom.

P.S. Grab my free mini-course: How To Be A High Performer In Times Of Change