The Wealth Money Can’t Buy by Robin Sharma, is one of the best books I read ravenously in my March 2025 Regular Reading Ritual. Largely, the nub of that heroic book is 8 Forms of Wealth, which include: Growth, wellness, family, craft, money, community, adventure and service.
Money is important. For we have bills to defray, obligations to meet, and pursuits costing cash. No wonder, being awash with cash allows us to arrest stress caused by cash-crunch. Meaning, more moolah pulls prosperity. Conversely, money alone is not enough. It is just one form of wealth. Therefore, let us explore various forms of wealth.
- Growth — Self-improvement
The form of wealth abuts on the insight that humans are healthiest, happiest and wealthiest when they steadily realise their talents, gifts and skills. Regular and relentless pursuit of growth is one of the greatest assets. To grow into all we can possibly be, is precious than making more money. Personal mastery is a form of wealth. Greatest investment is self-improvement.
- Wellness — Optimisation of Health
The form of wealth is hinged on understanding that peak mental, emotional, physical and spiritual vitality; including living a long life is a form of wealth. Health is wealth. Without physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health; more money, possessions and fame in the world are all useless like gust of dust. Then, when we are young, we are willing to sacrifice all health for the pursuit of wealth, and once we are old, we become willing to sacrifice all wealth for even one day for good health. Therefore, it is pointless, working hard to reach and touch the crest of great achievement, but end up weak and sick in a hospital room where doom and gloom looms large. To lead the richest life, we should also nourish the health of the mind, guard wellness of the emotional universe, and feed our spiritual life on regular basis with spiritual disciplines or means of grace like prayer and meditation.
- Family — Happy Life
This form of wealth is built on the knowledge that having money is worthless when one is alone and lonely like a leper. It is lack of health and wealth. Therefore, we should strive to arrive at connecting with family and friends. Meaning, we cannot say we are really rich, but suffer from poverty of family values, and paucity of friends. Investing in our closest relationships is a form of wealth.
- Craft — Work as a Platform for Purpose
This form of wealth hangs on the consistent practice of seeing some awesome worth in work. Seeing work as worship. Work is crucial chance not only to make more money, but also to show our shine and sheen. Work helps us live — and leave lasting legacy in the world. Making the world a better place can entice peace and prosperity. It is a form of wealth. Meaning, more mastery is currency. Job is superb and employment entices enjoyment when we see more into it. All labour has deep dignity.
- Money — Prosperity as Fuel for Freedom
The form of wealth hinges on pristine principle that money is not evil, but a necessity for living a life that is wealthy. Financial fortune helps us live with dignity and honour. Poverty complicates life. Dearth can cause early death. The secret is to use money to serve us rather than become captives of it. Therefore, we should encourage ourselves to acquire reasonable financial fortune so as to live to our ultimate best.
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- Community — Social Network
The form of wealth hangs on the scientific fact that human beings’ thinking, feeling, behaving and producing — are profoundly influenced by their associations, contemporaries and mentors. Therefore, to live a wealthy life, we should expand our community with purposeful and important people. Additionally, Careers in the New World of Work is a house of gold, whose adroit architect — Maryanne Spatola — talks about what she calls — The 3 C’s Guiding Principles for Creating Career Options. She cites: Building capabilities, increasing capacity and expanding community.
- Adventure — Joy of Exploration
The form of wealth hides in the reality that material goods we accumulate over time do not entice true bliss, happiness, health and wealth, but the sweet secret is in magical moments we spend doing things that feed our feelings of greatness, gratitude and deep adventure. Adding more wonder into our lives by traveling or reading heroic books is worth it. Leading a life rife with passionate pursuits is a source of wealth. We are peripatetic people; exploring, voyaging and daring. We are made to be nomads, and produced to be pioneers one these hallowed grounds, hotel called Earth. So, Mark Twain observed, “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do than the ones you did. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
- Service — Helpfulness
The form of wealth hums that the main aim of life well-lived focuses on making lives of others better. Losing ourselves in a cause that leaves a lasting legacy. As we do so, we coruscate bright light: Illuminating the whole world. The putative psychologist Abraham Maslow came up with Hierarchy of Human Needs — a pyramid-like framework. From bottom to top, he cited, physiological needs, safety needs, love and belonging and self-esteem needs. Then, at the epic peak, “self-actualisation”. Maslow postulated that once we meet the lower needs, the thinking goes. We gain strength, confidence and personal armour: to pursue the lofty, yet deeply important work all that we are meant to be on this terra firma. We become actualised. Later, before Maslow died, he added new level above “self-actualisation”. He called it “self-transcendence”. He made a fascinating discovery that the highest hunger after achieving everything in life, is to live for something greater than self. I mean a mission transcending our self-centred needs.
By Victor Ochieng’
The writer is an avid reader. He rolls out talks and training services.
vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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