What's More Important: Feeling Rich or Being Rich?

One common misconception is that how rich you feel can provide everything you need in life. However, feeling rich is not a reliable solution to your financial or medical needs. For instance, it cannot replace the importance of actual financial resources. If you are facing an emergency situation like sending a child to college, getting critical medical care, or preventing foreclosure due to unemployment, having the necessary funds is crucial.

Age and Wealth: A Comparing Perspective

Another dimension to consider is the relationship between age and wealth. Ideally, you may want to be young and rich, which certainly sounds enviable. However, this is a rare and often transient state. This phase can lead to disastrous outcomes due to the lack of life experience and financial prudence. Typically, wealth tends to accumulate with age, often among a fortunate few who have the time, resources, and opportunities to invest and inherit assets.

Defining Rich and Wealthy

I would like to draw a distinction between the two terms: being rich versus being wealthy. Wealthy pertains to having significant money and is often associated with a certain lifestyle and social constructs related to how one manages their wealth. On the other hand, being rich is more about having various freedoms and choices.

Casual Indicators of Richness

There are many everyday instances where having choices and freedoms demonstrates being rich. For example, the ability to choose from multiple pairs of shoes, to have diverse meal options, to take a sick day without fear of job loss, or to handle household chores without leaving home. These choices and freedoms can bring a sense of richness, and it is not necessary to have a substantial bank balance to experience them.

More directly to the question, if you feel rich, you are rich in the sense that you possess the freedoms and choices that contribute to your satisfaction and well-being. True, wealth can enhance these feelings, but the essence of being rich lies in the personal freedom and choice.

What Is More Important Than Wealth?

Of course, there is no harm in aspiring to achieve wealth. However, life has taught me that there are far more important things than wealth. As long as you have a comfortable place to sleep, adequate food, and loved ones to support you, you are already quite rich in life's essentials.

In conclusion, while financial wealth can certainly improve your quality of life and your feelings of richness, true richness often stems from the choices, freedoms, and the support of loved ones. The key is to strike a balance and prioritize what truly matters in life.