Chapter Content
Okay, so, like, I wanted to chat a little bit about something I've been thinking about a lot lately, and it's this idea of, uh, Mental Wealth. It's not about money, necessarily, though that's cool too, but it's more about your, you know, your inner game.
And to sort of kick things off, there's this speech that Steve Jobs gave way back when, at Stanford. It's really powerful, and it boils down to this: "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma. Don't let other people’s opinions drown out your inner voice. Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition." Pretty amazing, right? "Stay hungry. Stay foolish." You know?
So, with that in mind, I think there are three main things, like three pillars, that support Mental Wealth. I'm going to get into each one of them, alright?
First is Purpose. I'm talking about, you know, like, figuring out your own unique vision, what really matters to *you*. It's about making decisions that line up with what you *really* want in both the short term and the long term. It’s all about saying "No" to living a life somebody else designed for you, which, let's be honest, is easy to fall into, right?
And you see this come up everywhere, like, I read this article about these "blue zones" where people live, like, *forever*. And a common thing that these people did, in those zones, was that they all had this really strong sense of purpose. It gave them something to get out of bed for, some kind of identity, like understanding who they were and where they were headed, you know? And how they connected with, like, everything around them. For me, for example, like, my purpose is really just to create positive impacts in the world through my writing and my other stuff.
You know? Your purpose is, like, *your* sword. And listen, it doesn’t have to be, like, changing the world or curing cancer. It can be something *totally* personal. It just has to matter to *you*. If it’s important to you, that’s all that matters, really. It's about connecting with something bigger than yourself, something that guides you. Oh, and the cool thing is that these studies have linked it to living longer and being happier. Who wouldn't want that?
So yeah, even if your job isn’t your purpose, that’s *totally* fine. There are plenty of ways to find that outside of work, you know, by mentoring kids, or helping out at your church, or being a great parent. Basically, just, like, do your own thing.
Okay, pillar number two is Growth. It’s all about, like, constantly wanting to improve and change, just because. It's driven by knowing how flexible your mind and abilities actually are, you know? Like, being hungry for more, really.
I was reading about this woman, super old, like, eighty-eight, who's taking painting classes, just because she enjoys it. And that’s it! Like, no other reason. Just because it brings her joy and helps her grow. It’s amazing! Growth is how you stay ahead of things. Because it’s easy to just get comfortable. So, why bother learning something new when you can just Google it? Why bother trying a new hobby when you can just, you know, binge-watch TV?
Well, it’s because you are capable of *so* much more. Pursuing your full potential, even if it's tough, is, like, a really worthy thing to do, and it keeps you sharp and proves that you can still change and adapt.
It turns out, that scientists have shown that being willing to learn isn't, like, some inborn talent thing. It's a mindset. Which means, anyone can have it! You just gotta choose to believe in your ability to grow. So there’s this lady named Carol Dweck. She has these two mindsets. The "fixed mindset" is when you think, that's just how I am, that's what I can do, like, your abilities are set in stone. And the "growth mindset" is when you believe that you can grow, improve and keep learning, like your abilities are always being built.
The thing is, when you have a growth mindset, you are more positive, you embrace challenges, and you generally thrive, whereas, in a fixed mindset, you don’t want to fail, and you don’t want new challenges.
So, basically, Mental Wealth is built on this belief in your ability to grow, but you gotta actually *do* something about it!
Alright, last but not least, the third pillar: Space. And this is important. I’m talking about creating stillness and solitude to actually think, reset, recharge, and connect with your inner voice. You know, listening to yourself.
We live in a world that’s *always* on. How often do you go through a whole day without a single moment to yourself? You wake up, you grab your phone, you’re bombarded with messages. It’s constant! How many times has the shower been the *only* time you get to just be alone with your thoughts? And that's when you get these aha moments, right? New ideas, fresh perspectives... It’s because space gives you that.
Space exists between what happens *to* you and how you react to it. And that space is quiet. It's devoid of, like, all the noise and external inputs. It’s stillness, solitude. You can create that space by physically going somewhere alone, or just by mentally going to that quiet place inside your head. The thing is that you gotta go there, and you gotta go there regularly.
Space is what lets you think, reset, wrestle with big questions, manage stress, and recharge. You know? It allows you to listen to that inner voice. So, it’s what lets ideas connect in your mind.
Think of John D. Rockefeller, the, you know, oil magnate. A super successful dude! He always made time to just walk around in his gardens every afternoon, just to breathe! That, to him, was his space.
So, space is really personal. It can be whatever works for you. It could be a technology-free walk in the morning. It could be prayer or reading some kind of spiritual text. It could be journaling. Short breaks between meetings. Working out. Meditating. No matter what you do, or where you are, find *your* version of that mental garden. You do not need to be a monk!
So yeah, Purpose, Growth, and Space. The three pillars of Mental Wealth. It's, like, a blueprint for living a richer, more fulfilling life. I hope this all made sense. Later.