Reflect on how you spend an average day. Would the 10-year-old you be amazed? How about the 90-year-old you?
These two thought-provoking questions guide our discussion with Sahil Bloom, founder and managing partner of an early-stage venture fund that has invested in over 60 startups, and author of The Curiosity Chronicle, a newsletter that has over a million subscribers globally.
Sahil recounts his own moment of awakening. While living in California and earning a substantial income as a venture capitalist, he had a drink with an old friend who inquired about how often he visited his parents. When Sahil replied, "about once a year," his friend asked their age. Upon learning they were in their mid-60s, his friend calculated: "So you’ll see your parents only 15 more times before they pass away," assuming they would live to around 80.
This shocking realization prompted significant change. Within 45 days, Sahil quit his job, sold his house, and relocated across the country to be nearer to his family.
This transformation embodies the essence of Sahil’s philosophy on the five types of wealth:
- Time Wealth: Autonomy over your schedule and priorities
- Social Wealth: Meaningful, deep connections with others
- Mental Wealth: Curiosity, purpose, and personal development
- Physical Wealth: Health and vitality
- Financial Wealth: Conventional money and assets
Many of us focus primarily on financial wealth due to its ease of measurement. However, Sahil asserts that true wealth includes all five areas, and we should consciously invest in each.
He provides practical strategies for cultivating each type of wealth:
- For time wealth, create an "energy calendar" to monitor which activities energize you and which drain you
- For social wealth, chart your relationships based on their health and frequency
- For mental wealth, reflect on what your environment (family, community, etc.) needs from you
- For physical wealth, emphasize movement, nutrition, and recovery through simple actions
- For financial wealth, clearly articulate what "enough" signifies for you
These areas don't need to be perfectly balanced daily. Sahil suggests thinking of them in terms of seasons—certain times may focus on financial advancements, while others might prioritize family engagement.
Sahil also touches on powerful concepts such as goals versus anti-goals (the things you are unwilling to compromise to achieve your goals) and "Memento Mori"—the ancient Roman practice of contemplating mortality to motivate present action.
The conversation concludes with a reminder that "your life has seasons," much like the weather—just as you wouldn’t expect to go through all four seasons in one day, don’t anticipate perfect balance across all areas of life at once.
To learn more from Sahil Bloom, you can find him on major social media platforms or visit fivetypesofwealth.com.
Timestamps:
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(0:00) Would your 10-year-old self be impressed with your life?
(1:46) Sahil's wake-up call: realizing he'd see his parents only 15 more times
(4:19) The Tail End: visualizing the limited books and moments left in life
(6:56) Small adjustments that significantly enhance time with loved ones
(13:26) The conflict between ambition and being present; the danger of "later" becoming "never"
(17:42) Why we assess financial wealth but overlook other forms of wealth
(19:47) The five types of wealth: financial, time, social, mental, physical
(30:09) Establishing an "energy calendar" to monitor what energizes vs drains you
(38:09) Mapping relationships: assessing connections by health and frequency
(42:33) Goals vs. anti-goals: what you refuse to sacrifice for success
(51:17) Why your purpose doesn’t have to be your profession
(54:46) The 30-day health challenge: focusing on movement, nutrition, and recovery
(57:05) Vonnegut and Heller on having "enough" vs desiring more
(1:02:21) Memento Mori: using a life calendar to visualize limited time
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Reflect on how you go through a typical day. Would your 10-year-old self find it impressive? What about your 90-year-old self?