This Is What Makes You Rich

Wealth often wears many disguises—a sprawling mansion, a sleek luxury car, lavish vacations, the exclusivity of first-class or private flights. These are the hallmarks of affluence, valued precisely because they are out of reach for most people. Their allure lies in their rarity, their ability to signal status.

But is this really wealth? Or is it just materialism?

On Christmas, we quoted Paul Orfalea, the billionaire founder of Kinkos, who defined ‘success’ as having kids who come home for the holidays. His quote is also featured in the Dec. 25 entry of the Daily Dad book, which we learned is just $2.99 as an ebook right now. We’re not sure how long this promotion will last at this price (probably the cheapest it’ll ever be). But it’s a great opportunity to check out the book for yourself if you haven’t already, or share it with a fellow parent (our new premium leatherbound edition of Daily Dad makes a great gift, too).

But what Paul Orfalea was getting at is that there are lots of wealthy people out there who don’t have that level of ‘success,’ who are estranged from their family. What’s interesting about this idea is that it is largely focused on where you and your kids end up later in life, when they have a choice about how much they see you.

What about now? What about the choices you’re making today? Can someone truly be called wealthy, rich, or successful if the price of that success is their constant absence? A rich life isn’t just about what you can buy—it’s about what you can be present for. It’s attending your kids’ soccer games, watching them grow up, being home for dinner at a reasonable hour. Sure, a rich person might have nannies, assistants, and a big house, but a truly wealthy person is someone who can pause their work to show up for their family.

Not always, maybe—but often enough.

Hopefully what you’re gathering here that this definition of wealth is actually far more attainable than we often lead ourselves to believe. By this definition, stay-at-home parents are very highly paid. By this definition, a booming, all-consuming career—with an enormous salary—is actually a painful form of poverty; it’s a poverty of time and attention for the things that matter most.

You’re a rich person if you get to see your kids a lot. And when your kids one day pass on those riches to their kids? Now that’s true generational wealth.

P.S. As we mentioned earlier, the Daily Dad is just $2.99 as an ebook right now! We’re not sure how long the price drop will last, so get it for yourself or as a gift while you still can. And if you want a copy of the book designed to stand the test of time, grab the premium leatherbound edition of the Daily Dad, full of features that will allow the book to be passed down to your children and further generations to come. Head here to get yours today!

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