8 Essential Habits for a Rich Life
“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” – Steve Jobs
What does a “rich life” look like to you? It’s likely more than just the accumulation of wealth and possessions. According to Robin Sharma in his book The Wealth Money Can’t Buy, achieving a rich life involves much more. Sharma identifies 8 habits that foster a life of richness beyond financial wealth, focusing on personal growth, wellness, family, purpose, prosperity, community, adventure, and service. Here’s an introduction to each habit and tips on how to incorporate them into your daily life.
1. Growth: The Daily Self-Improvement Habit
"The most important investment you can make is in yourself." - Warren Buffet
Embrace personal development as a lifelong journey. Start by identifying the key influences in your life—parents, environment, nation, associations, and media (PENAM principle)—and understand how they have shaped you. Make better choices by being aware of these forces. Begin your day with a commitment to self-improvement, no matter how small the steps. Remember, "The way you start is to start."
Practical Tips:
Read for at least 45 minutes daily and debrief your learnings.
Start journaling to reflect on your experiences and growth.
Regularly do things that scare you to build bravery.
2. Wellness: The Steadily Optimize Your Health Habit
"Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection." – Mark Twain
Good health is the foundation of a rich life. Incorporate habits that enhance your physical and mental well-being. Engage in activities like forest bathing, regular exercise, and plenty of laughter. Embrace epigenetics to understand how lifestyle choices can impact your genes positively.
Practical Tips:
Meditate daily, even if it's just for 5 minutes.
Get 10-20 minutes of sunlight exposure in the morning.
Take on 30-day challenges like 10,000 steps a day or no sugar.
3. Family: The Happy Family, Happy Life Habit
"The secret of a happy marriage is finding the right person. You know they're right if you love to be with them all the time." - Julia Child
Invest in your closest relationships. Make time for your loved ones and create meaningful memories. Get clear on what’s important in your relationships and protect your priorities.
Practical Tips:
Each day do small acts of kindness for your loved ones.
Schedule family vacations and special events in advance. Fit everything else around them.
Listen more than you speak to understand and connect deeply.
4. Craft: The Work as a Platform for Purpose Habit
"In my whole life, I have known no wise people who didn't read all the time - none, zero." - Charlie Munger
Find meaning in your work by viewing it as a platform for purpose. Embrace continuous learning and improvement in your craft. Take absolute personal responsibility instead of complaining, blaming, and excusing.
Practical Tips:
Make a "Stop Doing List" to eliminate unnecessary stressors.
Dedicate at least an hour daily to reading and studying your craft.
Start small and keep improving your skills consistently.
5. Money: The Prosperity as Fuel for Freedom Habit
"Being the richest person in the cemetery doesn't matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful, that's what matters to me." - Steve Jobs
Use money to serve you and support your freedom, not to become a slave to it. Cultivate a healthy relationship with money by changing your mindset and habits around it.
Practical Tips:
Address your limiting beliefs about money.
Visit places where wealthy people go to broaden your horizons.
Create a vision board (collage of images) to visualize your financial goals.
6. Community: The You Become Your Social Network Habit
"You can curse the darkness or light a candle." - Christopher Morley
Surround yourself with positive and inspiring people. Build a strong social network that supports and elevates you. Engage in meaningful connections and collaborative growth.
Practical Tips:
Start a mastermind group to share progress and solve problems together.
Practice forgiveness and gift-giving to strengthen relationships.
Be present and attentive in your interactions, valuing each person you meet.
7. Adventure: The Joy Comes from Exploring Not Possessing Habit
"It is not death that one should fear but never having truly lived." - Marcus Aurelius
Find joy in exploring and experiencing life rather than accumulating possessions. Embrace new experiences and live boldly.
Practical Tips:
Take a digital sabbatical to reconnect with the present moment.
Pursue passions and do things that scare you every quarter.
Practice slow living to savor the small joys of life.
8. Service: The Life is Short So Be Very Helpful Habit
"Nothing can make our life, or the lives of other people, more beautiful than perpetual kindness." - Leo Tolstoy
Dedicate yourself to serving others and making a positive impact. Remember that life’s greatest fulfillment comes from contributing to something greater than yourself.
Practical Tips:
Regularly carve out time for solitude to reconnect with your true self.
Practice perpetual kindness in all interactions.
Plan a living funeral to express gratitude and love to those who matter.
By integrating these 8 hidden habits into your life, you can embark on a journey towards living your richest life, filled with joy, purpose, and fulfillment. For a treasure trove of inspiration and practical advice, I highly recommend reading The Wealth Money Can’t Buy.