What comes to mind when you hear the word "wealth"? For most people, it’s money—savings, investments, and material stuff. But what if wealth is about way more than just money? On Ep #213, Sahil Bloom breaks down five different types of wealth: time, social, mental, physical, and financial to help you think differently about what it means to be truly rich.
1. Time Wealth
Time wealth is about realizing how finite it is and taking control over how you spend it. But it’s not just about having free hours on your calendar. It’s about having autonomy over your schedule, being intentional with your commitments, and making space for the people and activities that bring you joy and good energy.
Time wealth isn’t about doing less; it’s about doing more of what matters most to you.
Tactics to Improve Time Wealth
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Track activities that energize you versus those that drain you through an energy calendar to make better decisions on where to invest your time.
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Limit your focus to just a few key priorities to avoid spreading yourself too thin.
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Regularly ask yourself, "Would I say yes to this if it were tomorrow?" to combat overcommitting.
2. Social Wealth
No one dreams of success if it means being alone. Social wealth is about meaningful relationships—both your closest people and your broader community. Sahil suggests relationship mapping to figure out which connections are adding value to your life and which ones might be draining you. Instead of traditional networking, find value-aligned rooms where you can meet people who share your interests.
The strength of your relationships isn’t just important for emotional well-being; it’s also one of the biggest predictors of long-term health. Studies show that strong social connections can improve longevity, reduce stress, and even boost your immune system.
Tactics to Improve Social Wealth
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Use a simple two-by-two matrix to map your relationships and identify your strongest connections and areas needing attention.
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Maintain a list of friends to call during downtime, like walks or commutes, to maintain connections.
- Whenever an old photo of someone pops up on your phone memories, send it to them and start a conversation.
3. Mental Wealth
Mental wealth is all about having a sense of purpose, staying curious, and creating space to think. Remember, your job doesn’t have to be your purpose—it can just be what supports your bigger life goals. We also talk about the "Ambition Paradox"—ambition can drive you, but if it goes unchecked, it can burn you out.
Cultivating mental wealth means making time for reflection, learning new things, and being okay with not having all the answers. It’s about creating mental clarity, managing stress effectively, and engaging in activities that challenge your mind.
Tactics to Improve Mental Wealth
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Spend 5 minutes on a daily basis to reflect on what brought you joy, what challenged you, and what you learned.
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Reread impactful books or revisit podcasts to gain new insights based on your current life stage.
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Identify a higher-order purpose that your daily activities support, even if your job isn't your ultimate passion.
4. Physical Wealth
Sahil poses a powerful question to reflect on your physical health: will you be able to dance at your 80th birthday party? Physical wealth isn’t about being an elite athlete—it’s about feeling good and staying active for as long as possible. Focus on the basics: move your body, eat real food, and get enough sleep.
But beyond the basics, physical wealth is also about understanding your body’s needs and respecting its limits. It’s not just about avoiding illness; it’s about optimizing your energy, mobility, and resilience.
Tactics to Improve Physical Wealth:
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Aim for 30 minutes of daily movement, whether it's walking, lifting, or any physical activity you enjoy.
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Practice the 80/20 nutrition rule. Focus on whole, unprocessed foods 80% of the time while allowing flexibility.
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Prioritize consistent sleep routines to support recovery and overall health.
5. Financial Wealth
We all know what financial wealth is, but Sahil reframes it with the idea of "expectation liability"—basically, the more you expect, the harder it is to feel satisfied. The goal isn’t just to make more money; it’s to define what “enough” looks like for you.
Financial wealth isn’t just about income or net worth; it’s about financial freedom and peace of mind. It’s the ability to make choices without being driven solely by financial constraints.
Tactics to Improve Financial Wealth:
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Clearly articulate what financial security and satisfaction mean to you.
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Grow your income strategically by focusing on skill development and value creation.
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Simplify money management with automated savings and investments to reduce decision fatigue.
Balancing the Five Types of Wealth
Life isn’t perfectly balanced all the time, and that’s okay. Sahil talks about using what he calls "dimmer switches" for each area of wealth. You don’t have to be 100% focused on all of them at once, but you shouldn’t ignore any of them completely either. Think of life as having different seasons. Sometimes your career might take center stage, while other times, your focus might shift to family, health, or personal growth. The key is to stay aware of how you’re doing in each area and make small adjustments when needed.
Sahil has a Wealth Score Quiz to help you assess your current standing in each area. Pro tip if you have a partner: do the quiz on your own and compare the results. My wife Amy and I took this approach and found out there were areas where I thought I was doing great (I'm a bit of an optimist), but Amy’s perspective helped me see blind spots I’d overlooked. I highly recommend doing it this way—it’s like a 360 review for your life, but with someone who knows you best.
Real wealth isn’t just a number in your bank account. It’s about how you spend your time, the people you’re connected to, your mental clarity, your health, and yes, your financial stability. So the next time you think about wealth, ask yourself: How am I doing in these five areas? Because true wealth isn’t just about what you have—it’s about how you live.
