When I sold my company, I thought having money would solve everything.
I was wrong.
Here’s what I’ve learned: True wealth isn’t just about the zeros in your bank account. It’s about building an unbreakable foundation across multiple dimensions of life.
Think about it like diversifying your investment portfolio. Smart investors never put all their eggs in one basket. Yet, when it comes to life, that’s exactly what many of us do.
I see this all the time with the founders I work with. They pour everything into their business – their time, energy, relationships, health – all in pursuit of financial freedom. We put off happiness, time with our family, or personal relationships as something we can make time for once we’ve reached the finish line.
But here’s the truth: If your entire identity and sense of worth is tied to any single dimension of life – whether that’s your business, your bank account, or even your relationships – you’re actually more fragile than you think.
Let me give you an example:
A few years ago, I worked with a founder who had just completed his fourth round of private equity, netting close to $900 million. By all external measures, he had “made it.” He had built and scaled multiple successful companies. He had the kind of wealth most people only dream about.
But when we started working together, he was completely burnt out.
He had been working 80-100 hour weeks for over two decades. His kids barely knew him. His wife would barely speak to him. He was, by his own admission, a complete mess.
He came to me wrestling with a decision: should he sign up for another round of private equity, or was it time for a change?
When I asked him what he would do if he couldn’t do what he was doing now, his answer was immediate and detailed – like he had been thinking about it for years.
He wanted to move to his ranch. He wanted to ride horses with his kids every day. He dreamed of acting in local theater productions – he had a passion for community theater that he’d never had time to pursue.
All he needed was permission to drop out and live life on his own terms. He had achieved extraordinary financial wealth, but he had sacrificed every other dimension of wealth to get there.
He had plenty of money, but he was not rich.
He had neglected other crucial dimensions of wealth:
• Health Wealth: The energy and vitality to enjoy your success
• Relationship Wealth: Deep connections that sustain you through challenges
• Time Wealth: The freedom to choose how you spend your days
• Mental Wealth: Peace of mind and emotional resilience
• Purpose Wealth: A sense of meaning beyond monetary success
This is what I mean by becoming multi-dimensional.
True wealth – unbreakable wealth – comes from building strength across all these dimensions. It’s about creating a life so rich in different areas that a setback in any one dimension doesn’t devastate you.
Think of it like cross-training for life. An athlete who only works on one muscle group isn’t just limiting their potential – they’re setting themselves up for injury. The same principle applies to building an unbreakable life.
So how do we build this multidimensional wealth?
Start by asking yourself these questions:
- What activities make me feel truly alive? (And when was the last time I did them?)
- Which relationships deserve more of my energy?
- How am I investing in my physical and mental health?
- What gives my life meaning beyond business success?
The answers might surprise you. They might even scare you a little. That’s okay.
The path to becoming unbreakable isn’t about perfection – it’s about progress. It’s about making conscious choices to invest in all dimensions of your life, not just your bank account.
For me, this looked like rediscovering my love for adventure sports, deepening my relationship with my wife, and finding joy in coaching others. It meant creating space for things that didn’t necessarily contribute to my net worth but dramatically increased my life worth.
Remember: Money is just fuel. It’s a tool to help you build the life you want. But it’s not the life itself.
True wealth – unbreakable wealth – comes from building a life so rich in different dimensions that no single loss can break you.
So here’s my challenge to you: This week, invest in one dimension of wealth you’ve been neglecting. Take that workout class. Call that old friend. Pick up that hobby you’ve been putting off.
Becoming unbreakable isn’t just about protecting your downside – it’s about expanding your capacity for joy, connection, and fulfillment across all dimensions of life.
To becoming multi-dimensional,
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