I'm wealthier than before

Dear Steward,

I’m writing this before heading out of town for a three-day silence and solitude retreat in the mountains.

(BTW, welcome to the new folks who joined the letter last week!)

Yes, I have more than before. Even though I’ve lost substantial cash and income, I’ll explain more shortly.

The Western world measures “rich” by the number of
bank accounts, how many mansions one owns, exotic cars, or lux vacations.

The people who stack the green are worshiped for ascending the hill of success.

Having made (and lost 🙃) a good amount of money, my perspective of what makes a person rich has changed.

You can have all the money in the world and be completely bankrupt.

Relationtionally bankrupt.
Emotionally bankrupt.
Spiritually bankrupt.
Morally bankrupt.

What would happen if we started to put value on the other essential parts of our lives? (Mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, and relational health).

We’d have more peace and joy.
We’d be free to be who we are.
There wouldn’t be a need to run the rat race of achievement.

Money isn’t needed to buy what matters.

Let me say that again. Money ISN’T needed to buy what matters.

At this point, you might be thinking… “Okay, Chris, cool story, bro.” But hear me out (if you have ears to hear): I’ve experienced “success” we’re all chasing. That’s my advantage. I’ve also experienced it's a dry drum with not a drop of long-term satisfaction.

I understand that you might graze over this and keep on. Or that some of you might get such a distaste for this “message” that you race to smash that unsubscribe button. I understand that as well.

But here’s the plain truth. It took me losing to find true success, and I can’t go back.

Why? Unknowingly, we don’t realize how much achievement and the climb owns us as entrepreneurs, founders, and business owners. That was me.

A slave to success.

It dictated just about everything in my life…
How fast I moved.
How I treated people.
How I made decisions.
What I said yes or no to.
The view people had of me.
The amount of money coming in every month.

“Just one more.”

That was my internal dialogue. I didn’t realize it was happening. Just one more level, one more business, one more event, just one more client, just one more million, and so on.

Now, through my losses, it’s given me one of the greatest gifts (I’m still unwrapping)… the word NO.

I no longer need all those things because of the perspective shift I’ve been fortunate enough to have.

Here’s another beautiful gift in the process I’ve gone through: when I write and talk about my losses, I no longer feel guilt or shame. Now, that’s richness. Freedom.

Am I flying private, still? No. But I have way more gratitude for traveling.

Did I just have a record revenue month? No. But I have more time to spend with my kids.

Did I just acquire a significant new investment? No. But I have everything I need.

That’s powerful. See where I’m going with this? What’s the benefit of this perspective? It changes how and why you do things.

When you’re able to hop off the hamster wheel, you become SOVEREIGN in your life. Sovereign might be saying no to that deal, opportunity, next level, or whatever is pulling at you.

A sovereign person is a dangerous person. She is not tethered to the endless pursuits of life.

Here are four things to consider if you want to have a prosperous life:

1. The best things in life are free.

2. Gratitude is one of the greatest weapons, but it is undeployed by most. Deploy it daily.

3. Cut out things occupying your time, attention, and emotions that don’t belong.

4. Get outside in nature and soak it up in silence and solitude.

5. In a hurry all the time? Slow down.

6. Have a long, slow dinner with your family over candlelight with no phones.

7. Work hard in your mission to serve others well.

8. Work from rest.

Houses, cars, thriving businesses, money in the bank, and investments are all good things. (I’m sure those will increase again for me. But it came from me losing a lot to realize how much I had.)

When we need those things to feel or be seen a certain way, we need to ponder that.

Here’s the last thing I’ll say today, my friend. In all your efforts to pursue what you’re seeking, if you pause and look at your life, you might realize you’re already more prosperous than you thought.

Much love,

Chris

p.s. I’m launching the new Good Steward podcast soon. Keep those eyes peeled for the launch date!