Book Summary: The Wealth Money Can't Buy by Robin Sharma.

In The Wealth Money Can’t Buy: The 8 Hidden Habits to Live Your Richest Life, Canadian writer Robin Sharma shares a framework he learned from his private advisory clients: financial prosperity is only one of the eight forms of wealth. The Eight Forms of Wealth learning model is based upon eight hidden habits used by the world’s wealthiest people to lead a life of purpose and meaning. They include:

We are trained to measure whether we are winning by the amount of money we have, the size of the possessions we own, and how well we have used our best days in pursuit of fame, fortune, and influence. This causes too many of us, deep within our souls, to feel bad about our lives, sad about ourselves, and mad that the dreams we once had such faith in have been destroyed, dying a quiet death as we replaced them with adult responsibilities, life’s stresses, and human struggles.

Growth: The Daily Self-Improvement Habit. This habit is based on the insight that humans are happiest and genuinely wealthiest when we are steadily realizing our personal gifts and primal talents. The regular pursuit of personal growth is one of your most valuable assets.
Wellness: The Steadily Optimize Your Health Habit. This habit is founded on your deep understanding that peak mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual vitality and living a long life filled with energy, wellness, and joyfulness are mission-essential to you being honestly rich.
Family: The Happy Family, Happy Life Habit. This habit is built on the knowledge that having all the money and material success in the world is worthless if you are all alone. So enrich the connections with the ones you love. And fill your life with fantastic friends who upgrade your happiness.
Craft: The Work as a Platform for Purpose Habit. This habit is grounded in the consistent practice of seeing your work as a noble pursuit and an opportunity not only to make more of your genius real, but also to make our world a better place. Mastery is a currency worth investing in.
Money: The Prosperity as Fuel for Freedom Habit. This habit is driven by the principle that financial abundance is not only far from evil but also a necessity for living in a way that is generous, fascinating, and original.
Community: The You Become Your Social Network Habit. This habit is structured around the scientific fact that a human being’s thinking, feeling, behaving, and producing are profoundly influenced by their associations, conversations, and mentors. To lead a great life, fill your circle with great people.
Adventure: The Joy Comes from Exploring Not Possessing Habit. This habit is formulated around the reality that what creates vast joy is not material goods but magical moments doing things that flood us with feelings of gratefulness, wonder, and awe. Enrich your days with these and your life will rise into a whole new universe of inspiration.
Service: The Life Is Short So Be Very Helpful Habit. This habit is founded on the time-honored understanding that the main aim of a life richly lived is to make the lives of others better. As you lose yourself in a cause that is bigger than you, you will not only find your greatest self but will illuminate the world in the process. And discover treasures far beyond the limits of cash, possessions, and public status.

“We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses blooming outside our windows today.” – Dale Carnegie

Money is only one of the form of wealth.

Sure, money is important. Having a reasonable amount allows us to lead easier lives, live life on our own terms, and do good things for the people we love. Having enough opens more windows of possibility and doorways of choice. Yet money is only one form of wealth—there are actually seven other forms.

The Happiness Trap

We push ourselves mercilessly to seek more and more external things to fill that hole. Falsely telling ourselves that when we have overflowing cash and flashy cars and fashionable clothes and online followers, one day, we will magically wake up feeling okay. And lastingly happy. Yet you and I know that day will never come. Because nothing in the outer world will ever make you feel better on the inside. As the Zen proverb confirms: “Wherever you go, there you are.

THE 1ST FORM OF WEALTH: Growth