Obviously we live in a world obsessed with accumulation, from bigger houses, to faster cars, to newer phones, and fancier brands. Our society tells us that wealth is measured in how much we own and how much we can show, but I beg to differ; true wealth is not about multiplying our possessions; it is about subtracting our desires. The Stoics understood this, and so have the wisest voices across history: You are rich the moment you realize you already have enough. And mind you realizing that you already have enough is not about no longer working or retirement, but about contentment while you continue to grow, build and create more, and I really hope that does not confuse you.
So wealth, then, is less about the number in your account and more about the state of your heart; it is not about proving your success to others; it is about living in such a way that your peace cannot be bought or taken away.
Why Chasing More Never Feels Like Enough
You know somehow and depending on the state of your heart, chasing wealth through accumulation can feel like drinking salt water; the more you consume, the thirstier you become. No matter how much you gain, there is always someone with more, always a new standard set by society.
And that is why some people with millions still feel poor, still feel that suffocating hunger to keep climbing. When your identity is tied to comparison, “enough” will forever move out of reach; the luxury watch, the designer label, the trendy car, none of them will silence the craving; they only feed it.
Depending on the state of your heart, the truth is this: Chasing “more” never ends in satisfaction; it only ends in exhaustion.
Some people are so poor all they have is money; this quote is believed to be attributed to Patrick Meagher and Bob Marley. I’m not certain who the author of that expression was, but for the purposes of the blog post today, it’s the expression that counts, not who said it first or the source of the quote.
The following transcript comes from an interview where Marley’s views regarding money are clearly stated.
Interviewer: Are you a rich man?
Marley: What do you mean, rich?
Interviewer: You have a lot of possessions?
Marley: A lot of money in the bank? – Do possessions make you rich?
Marley: I don’t know that type of richness; my richness is life.
This statement requires that the poor be considered holistically, not only as a matter of money. It takes a look at people who don’t have anything but money, who only consider and focus on their money balance.
If all you are concerned about is wealth, and more wealth is all you care about, then you’re unlikely to be truly happy, full of happiness, no joy or pleasure other than generating more wealth and filling one’s life with automobiles, boats, planes mansions, and other luxurious things.
It would be a pity to reflect on a person’s life and judge it solely by the numbers in their bank account. The most important aspects of life are not measurable precisely:
Continue Reading: Some People Are So Poor All They Have Is Money | How Can One Have Money And Still Be Poor? What Does This Really Mean?
The Freedom of Wanting Less
Here lies the secret: Wealth is not about having everything you want, but wanting less. When you reduce your desires, you multiply your peace.
Seneca put it beautifully: “If you wish to make a man rich, do not add to his wealth, but take away his desires.” The person who can eat a simple meal with gratitude is wealthier than the person who dines lavishly but envies what others have.
Wanting less frees you; it frees you from debt, from envy, from endless striving. It gives you back time, attention, and the space to enjoy what you already possess. Because true wealth is simplicity paired with gratitude.
Living Rich by Living Below Your Means
You know our society glorifies living above your means, status symbols, endless upgrades, you know the illusion of success type of thing. But the richest people are often those who quietly live below their means.
Again and mind you, living below your means does NOT mean deprivation; it means freedom; it means choosing values over vanity, peace over pressure, contentment over comparison. It means rejecting the need to prove yourself with things, and instead proving yourself with character. When you live this way, you will learn to live for generosity, for helping others, for creating a life of depth instead of display, and that is wealth no market crash can steal.
So have you ever had one of those moments where you look around and wonder, “Why are we all chasing so much?” Not building so much but “chasing so much.” I had that that type of moment just a few days ago, in a bar watching the Barcelona vs. Inter Milan game, sitting with a friend and with my favorite drink, watching people step out of cars, maybe, just maybe they probably can’t comfortably afford, rushing into stores to buy things they probably don’t need and I realized something that has been quietly reshaping my life: Less is luxury.
Not the type of luxury you see in magazines or Instagram reels, I am talking about a different kind; I am talking about the luxury of breathing space, peace and room; the luxury of not stressing every time a bill comes in; the luxury of saying no to things that do not matter because you have said yes to what really does matter to you, in form peace, not seeking and craving attention from others with possession, simple but yet having more than enough, not status signaling.
We have been sold a version of success that is loud, shiny, and expensive, but what if we have been lied to? What if the real flex; the one that actually matters is living below your means, not because you have to, but because you want to? Because you have found a kind of richness that can not be swiped with a card or parked in a driveway and that is the idea I want us to talk about together.
Continue Reading: Less is Luxury: Living Below Your Means is The New Rich
Read Also: The Pressure Reveals The Person: Proverbs 24:10
Read Also: Godliness With Contentment: The True Riches
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Conclusion
Wealth is not a race to see who can pile up the most; it is a practice of contentment, of subtracting wants until your heart rests easy with what you already have.
The hidden equation of wealth is simple: less desire to prove to society = more peace. When you stop measuring yourself by society’s shifting standards, you discover that you were rich all along not because of what you own, but because of how little you need prove yourself with things.
Now that being said; it is another beautiful day to do the hard work and continue to build!!!
At some point in our lives, I am sure we have all been obsessed with shortcuts, I know have. Everyone or let’s say some people want the hack, the fast track, the one-click formula to success. But during my devotional today, the scripture reminded me of a deeper, timeless truth: Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mere men. – Proverbs 22:29
Diligence is not flashy; it is not easy; it is not always rewarded right away; it is the daily showing up, the faithful stewardship, the attention to detail when no one else is watching. It is what separates those who are just busy from those who are truly building something that lasts. To be diligent in your business, whatever that “business” may be is to position yourself for influence and honor. Not at all through ambition or manipulation, but very very much through excellence and endurance, and this is not just a career strategy; it is a calling! A principle rooted in both divine wisdom and real life results.
So let us talk about what diligence really looks like, why it matters, and how to cultivate it in today’s space addicted to convenience. So again, whether you are a student, an entrepreneur, employee, or creative person, the path to standing before kings is not mysterious, it is marked and starts with diligence.
Continue Reading: A Man Diligent In His Business
