Sahil Bloom on Why Success Isn’t Just About Money
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Most of us have been conditioned to believe that financial wealth is the ultimate marker of success. But what if there’s more to it than just money? What if the richest life you could live isn’t defined by how much you own, but by how you manage your time, relationships, health, and mental well-being? This shift in perspective is exactly what Sahil Bloom, author of The Five Types of Wealth, discusses in our latest episode.
Sahil Bloom is a force in the personal development space, known for his viral newsletter, The Curiosity Chronicle, and his deep dives into the meaning of wealth. In today’s episode, Sahil offers a refreshing approach to success, one that challenges the conventional narrative of wealth. He explores five distinct types of wealth, each of which plays a critical role in how we live, work, and experience life.
These five types of wealth — time, social, mental, physical, and financial — are all interconnected, yet too often, we ignore the ones that don’t have a direct dollar sign attached to them.
Listen to the episode here on Apple Podcast & leave a review!
The Five Types of Wealth: A New Way to Define Success
Financial wealth, while important, is not the only type of wealth that matters. In fact, focusing exclusively on money can lead to burnout and a hollow sense of achievement. The key is finding balance across five different areas of wealth. Let’s break them down:
Time Wealth: The Power of Freedom Over Your Day
One of the first and most important types of wealth Sahil highlights is time wealth. For many of us, our schedules are packed with obligations, deadlines, and meetings, leaving little room for personal fulfillment or relaxation.
Time wealth isn’t about just having more free time — it’s about having the freedom to choose how you spend your time. Sahil suggests a simple but profound strategy: think about what truly brings you joy and fulfillment, then design your life to give more of your time to those things.
This doesn’t mean abandoning your career or ignoring responsibilities, but rather becoming intentional about where and how you spend your hours. Start by identifying the activities that energize you and align with your values — whether that’s spending time with family, working on a passion project, or simply having time for self-care. Then, ask yourself how you can create more space for these activities, even if it means saying no to less important commitments.
Social Wealth: Building Meaningful Connections
In today’s increasingly isolated and digital world, building meaningful connections is more important than ever. Sahil emphasizes that success is not just about your network or the number of connections you have, but about the quality and depth of those relationships.
He shares a powerful exercise called “Help, Heard, or Hugged,” which can transform how we engage with the people closest to us — whether at work or in our personal lives. This concept means when someone comes to you with a problem, instead of jumping straight into “fix it” mode, ask them: Do they want advice (help), just to be listened to (heard), or do they want comfort (hugged)?
Sahil also stresses the importance of nurturing social wealth outside of work. While your professional network is valuable, your personal relationships are often the key to long-term happiness and support. Be intentional about cultivating friendships that nourish and challenge you, and don’t forget to invest time in the people who matter most.
Mental Wealth: Finding Purpose and Clarity
In Sahil’s view, mental wealth is about creating space for mental clarity and purpose. Our world today is constantly pulling us in different directions, and it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters.
Sahil encourages us to practice “mental time travel” — a technique that involves imagining your ideal life at 80 years old and using that vision to guide your decisions today. The idea is to get out of the weeds of day-to-day stress, stop chasing short-term distractions (like fame and money), and zoom out to see the bigger picture.
This exercise isn’t just about fantasizing about the future; it’s about creating a mental model for what you truly value. Once you’ve imagined your ideal future, ask yourself: What do I need to do today to start moving toward that life? If you want to focus on the things that bring true fulfillment — relationships, personal growth, and contribution — this practice is the perfect one to start with.
Listen to the episode here on Apple Podcast & leave a review!
Physical Wealth: Prioritizing Health for a Full Life
Physical wealth is often overlooked in the pursuit of success, yet it’s foundational to everything else. If you don’t have your health, nothing else really matters. Sahil stresses that physical wealth isn’t just about hitting the gym or eating well — it’s about taking consistent, small actions to care for your body, from getting enough sleep to managing stress. By prioritizing your physical well-being, you ensure you have the energy, vitality, and stamina to pursue your dreams and goals effectively.
Sahil’s approach to physical wealth is simple: control the controllables. This means being mindful of the habits and routines you can control in your daily life — sleep, nutrition, exercise, and stress management. These are the building blocks of a life that allows you to thrive, not just survive.
Financial Wealth: Reassessing What “Enough” Means
Of course, financial wealth is still a part of the equation, but Sahil encourages us to think about it differently. Instead of relentlessly chasing more money or higher status, ask yourself: What does “enough” look like for you? By defining your financial goals around your personal values and needs, you avoid the trap of overworking or overcompensating in an attempt to prove something to others.
Sahil advises creating a financial plan that reflects your ideal life — one that allows you the freedom to make choices based on your values, rather than fear or external expectations. This could mean scaling back on unnecessary expenses, simplifying your lifestyle, or pursuing more meaningful work that aligns with your values.
Wealth is About Balance
If you’ve been chasing money, fame, or status at the expense of your time, relationships, or health, it may be time to rethink your approach to wealth. Time, social, mental, physical, and financial wealth all work together to create a rich and fulfilling life. By focusing on all five, you don’t just build success in the traditional sense; you cultivate a life that aligns with your deepest values and long-term goals.
Ready to dig deeper into these concepts? Listen to the full episode of The Five Types of Wealth with Sahil Bloom and start reshaping your path to success today.
Listen to the episode here on Apple Podcast & leave a review!
