Even if you are blissfully happy, this 2-minute-30-seconds read will help you have a more fulfilling life. Simple to understand, easy to implement, tried and tested.
Billionaires or Paupers
A few months ago, I was invited to speak at a private club of billionaires. I started my discourse to the room full of friendly faces with the simple fact that, whether a pauper or billionaire, our number of hours of living per day are the same 24 hours. It is what we do (and think) in those 24 hours that determine our level of happiness and fulfillment.
Trade-offs
We all want to live happy and fulfilling lives. We are born into this life with nothing material, and we go to death with nothing financial. If you are reading this on a screen, you are unlikely to be on the poverty line, no matter where in the world you live. And yet, you are likely to be breaking your back in the pursuit of wealth beyond your needs. That might be acceptable to you until you realize that the trade-off is not worth it. Often you realize it when it is too late, and often you realize it when it is not late but you feel the regret about time lost.
Preparing for a Robust Future
When we are little children, we naturally enjoy each moment. A year seems like eternity. As we get older the natural instincts to survive and procreate increase our drive to do something that will have a beneficial impact on our future. We think of investing in our future with education and training, with building cooperative networks, new friendships and even marriage. We even try to future proof our careers by investing in further education, or protect the future of our businesses through investing research or additional land or new equipment. As a general framework, all that is right on track.
Hindsight Regret
There come those moments before death when we realize that we have gathered too much that is material and, yet, immaterial. That farmhouse that we visited for a couple of weeks each year. That set of diamonds we wore five times. That expensive rare watch that only signalled that we had money not character. That car more expensive than the home of your chauffeur who will drive it on traffic jammed roads while you sit at the back, and what gets weaker is your back!
Even long before we get to that late stage, and long after we are set on a path of considerable wealth relative to our needs, NOT our wants, we continue to acquire with little regard to the bigger picture. We pay little attention to our physical fitness – oh, but we pay for all the equipment and gear our kids need to play sports. We give little notice to what we put in our mouths – oh, but we spend a lot on the finest restaurants with our friends. We don’t think much about our thoughts – but we pay for our kids to get schooled at the best. We spend little time thinking about life’s true meaning – but we will be eager to donate to the local church, mosque, or temple.
Disconnect
We save as if we’ll live for decades, but we live like we do not care to be healthy to live that long. There is clearly a disconnect. In fact, even when we know that there is a disconnect, we don’t usually address it – mostly because at first glance it is not a simple problem to solve. Being human, we go down the path of least resistance, and so we ‘continue as is’. Maintaining the status quo is the widely practised default scenario played out.
The Path Ahead – Leading a Better Life
I started this series of conversations with you more than two years ago with my first chat about ‘Discipline’. Following on from there I spoke over many months on topics such as nutrition, fitness, health, process, performance and excellence. Today’s conversation was to set the stage for another theme that I speak to audiences about often – leading a better life – beyond just physical fitness improvements and intellectual development.
I hope you will make time to enjoy benefiting from the chats to come.
Dr Purnendu Nath spends his waking hours focusing on helping individuals and organizations reach their goals, to make the world a better place. He speaks, writes and advises on topics such as finance, investment management, discipline, education, self-improvement, exercise, nutrition, health and fitness, leadership and parenting.
Puru The Guru 
Each day is a gift and every once in a while it is good to reflect on where this so called LIFE we lead is taking us. I like where this is going…..can’t wait to read more Purnendu.
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This is your best post ever, Puru! (Even better than the one about Pacers, which was terrific).
Completely concur with your views here and believe we need to be ‘aware’ of our needs vs wants. Waiting for the next post on this series.
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Excellent read. Thank you. Lot of material yet immaterial…How true…
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Great article Puru Swami.
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A provacotive insight! Just what we need!
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