Picture this: a life where your finances flourish, your health thrives, and your relationships bloom, creating an existence of abundance. Oh, and it's not just a dream—this life is possible.
This is what life looks like when the Big 3 align: Wealth, Health, and Relationships. By focusing your efforts on each of these three pillars, you can create a well-rounded, fulfilling life that many people only dream of.
One can argue that health and relationships are subcategories of wealth. Because you may never truly be wealthy if you do not have your health and lack genuine relationships. However, due to the importance of each one, I like to separate them. Therefore, I will discuss each in turn.
Invest In Your Wealth
Of course, at the heart of a wealthy life is a person's finances. You cannot be wealthy if you are concerned about how you are going to pay next month's bills. Due to this, you must have a solid financial plan.
Before you figure out how you will start saving money, you must determine your why. Your "why" is how you will stay motivated when times get tough. Also, knowing your "why" will allow you to stop saving money when that precious moment of financial freedom occurs. Always being focused on why you are doing something is the secret formula to reaching success.
After you find out your why, now comes the less fun part. You need to create a solid financial plan and make sure you get the boring stuff right. You need to create some sort of budget (I have tips for a simple budget or a more detailed one), have an emergency fund in place, get in the habit of spending less than you make, and then start investing after the emergency fund is filled.
Then, after you have figured out your "why" and have a solid financial plan in place, you can start pursuing other income streams. Some people call this having a "side hustle." You can be creative with trying to create a passive income stream, such as starting a knife sharpening business, or you can try a more proven method of dividend-paying stocks or rental properties.
No matter what you decide with your financial plan, there are two things you need to always keep in mind. One, continuously educate yourself on personal finance. And, two, find a balance between being frugal and still enjoying life today that works for you.
Invest In Your Health
Health cannot come second to your wealth-building process for a continuous period. There will most likely be times when you have to choose saving/making money over your health, but it cannot be a decision that you regularly make.
Here are some acceptable times you can put your wealth-building above your health:
Only getting 4 hours or less of sleep because you are trying to meet a deadline
Skipping a workout because you had to work late and still want to spend time with your family
Having to eat boxed mac n' cheese for dinner because you have used up all the money in your food budget for the month
This list is not exhaustive and is only meant to serve as an illustration. Just do not regularly make these decisions because your health will determine how much you will be able to enjoy the fruits of your wealth-building journey.
Lastly, there is one often forgotten aspect of a person's health - their mental well-being.
Mental health is a tough one because people are still uncomfortable talking openly about the subject. Here are some general things to remember when taking care of your mental health:
Practice mindfulness and meditation
Reduce bad stress and embrace self-care
Seek professional help when needed
The key is not to let your mental health fall by the wayside. Be cognizant and honest with yourself when you need to take time away from your busy wealth-building process. Mindfully splurging on a vacation will not ruin your financial plans.
Invest In Your Relationships
There are two major categories of relationships: business and personal.
Business
The main thing I routinely see people get wrong when networking is not trying to build genuine connections. If you only aim to meet someone, shake their hand, and give them a business card, you are missing out on so much more. When you meet someone new, make an honest effort to get to know them and tell them something personal about yourself (such as being a parent).
Also, try asking that person for advice. Then, make sure to follow up with them letting them know how the advice helped you achieve "X".
With business relationships, you want to try to cultivate strong personal connections where you are actively supporting the other person whenever you can. When these relationships are kept at a superficial level, you will miss out on a great support system. In challenging times, cultivating robust business relationships that you can rely upon proves to be immensely valuable.
Personal
Just as with networking for business purposes, you also want to bring these same principles to your personal relationships. Nothing is worse than a one-sided friendship.
Business relationships may falter when you leave the workforce, but personal relationships may last until death.
To invest in these relationships, you must make an effort. The more comfortable you get with someone, the easier it is to forget that (think of a spouse).
For these relationships to work, you must support each other's goals and dreams. This does not mean you have to be "yes" people. This just means that you will voice your opposition up front, but when your friend or family makes that decision, you will support them as long as it is not truly detrimental to their health.
My Final Thoughts On The Big 3: Wealth, Health, & Relationships
As you start or continue on this path, remember that every small step matters, and progress may take time. Embrace the journey, learn from your experiences, and continually fine-tune your approach.
One trick I use to enjoy the moment is documenting my progress and sharing what I learn with others (*cough* this blog *cough*). Although it may not feel like it, anyone's story can inspire another person. So, go on and focus on investing in each aspect of the Big 3. If you do, you might find that you have many more options to pursue in life than you thought you did before.
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