There Are 8 Indispensable Elements of Real Wealth and 7 Aren't Money There is no contradiction between realizing financial security is crucial to happiness and that money really isn't everything.
By Peter Voogd Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
What's the purpose of life?
That's a powerful question that deserves your attention. My answer has drastically changed the past five to 10 years, and will continue to evolve. Success is part of life's purpose but I know that on the other side of success is the quest for more success, more milestones, more achievements, more people to help and learn from, more money to be made. That's great. Life becomes mundane and boring without goals and dreams to reach for but I believe there is more to life and real wealth.
Don't get me wrong. Becoming a millionaire is a valid desire for everyone, but there is no higher success than building and maintaining a world class life with meaning and significance. Awareness precedes choice, and your choices determine the quality of your life. I've put some serious thought into what makes a world class life. Here are the eight forms you must adapt and start improving if you want to live an exceptional life with no regret.
Related: Find Your Purpose
1. A world-class inner life.
Your outer world, who you are and the quality of your life, is 100 percent determined by your inner world. Your inner world consists of your peace of mind, the quality of your thinking and living authentically. Are you living your true values or doing things based out of fear and worry? Your inner world determines your self worth and how connected you are to your core.
2. World-class health.
Your health is a very important part of wealth. If you don't have your health, you have nothing. At the end of your life, the things you now perceive as the big things might be the little things. When we are young, we will compromise our health for wealth, but when we are old we will gladly sacrifice all of our wealth for just a little bit of health.
It's extremely important to put health first, if you really want a world class life. We take our health for granted until we lose it, then we spend all our waking time trying to get it back. Those who don't make time for exercise must eventually make time for illness.
3. World-class family life.
Having loved ones around you, and being able to see your family whenever you choose, is a crucial part of success. Gary Vaynerchuk told me his business is extremely important, but a distant second to his family. The greatest support system in the world is good family and friends. You can't be careless here, you need great relationships and those who make you better. Remember, you can't change your family, and trying to do so will cause you endless stress and frustration. Love them and appreciate them for who they are.
4. World-class profession/career.
The attitude you bring to your days determine your destiny and it's extremely hard to carry a great attitude when you don't enjoy what you do. According to the new Gallup survey "71 percent of employees are activity disengaged at work."
Be patient and figure out your strengths. Purposefully choosing (or creating) your ideal professional is crucial to a world-class life. When you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life. It's important to get to the end of your career knowing you gave your best. Yes, unexpected circumstances do happen but you are in control of your own future through the choices you make. Life is not easy nor promised, but it's how you adapt and adjust that determines what happens next. Never settle.
Related: 7 Steps to Find Meaning in Your Work
5. World-class financial freedom.
Less than 5 percent of our society will be financially stable by age 65. WTF? Money is extremely important and makes the world go round. It also gives you one of the most important aspects of a world-class life -- freedom.
Money allows you the choices to do what you want, when you want, wherever you want, so you can live on your own terms. What's your game plan to assure a financially free future?
6. World-class circle of genius.
You become who you spend the most time with. Are the people you're associating with holding you to higher standards and challenging you? If you spend time with people who are playing at a world class level, you drastically increase your chances of doing the same. Their ways of being will rub off on you. You'll adapt their philosophies and perspectives.
Start surrounding yourself with people whose lives you want to emulate. Keep company with those who are thinking and acting at an extraordinary level.
7. World-class experiences.
Ultimately, life is an adventure. Experiences and memories are what separate the elite lives from the mediocre. I've recently started focusing more on producing instead of consuming, and valuing experiences over material things. I like both, and appreciate the finer things in life, but after studying countless world-class people, it's clear they are constantly creating memorable experiences. What's the point of doing something if you're not having fun?
8. World-class impact and legacy.
The worthiest aim of life is service to the world around us. How much difference are you making in the world around you? Are you adding consistent value that improves the lives of others?
Generosity the key that unlocks happiness. There is no greater feeling than when you help or give to others, asking for nothing back. Whether it is a compliment or a small gift, do something nice for somebody every day. Realize every tweet, every blog post and every conversation you have is part of your legacy.
I challenge you not to postpone your life. Most say "when I have more time I will take time for myself" but the reality is life waits for no one. Don't postpone travel or chasing your dreams. Nobody knows when their time is up, so make the most of it by focusing on these eight forms of real wealth.
