IWillTeachYouToBeRich - How 2020 changed what matters to me

To view this email as a web page, click here

Hi Reader,

Yesterday, I asked how the past year has changed what matters to you — your money, your values.

Some of the responses really surprised me.

"Having a better home life. Work and travel is great, but really having a nice place to call home which is both safe and comfortable is more important than ever. Maybe looking into an apartment with a few more rooms."

–Kyle

***

"I believe in voting with your dollars, so I took a look at where I allocate my money. I set aside 5% of my annual net income for charitable donations. And I realized that I’ve never once donated to an organization that directly benefits the black community and only the black community. If I say Black Lives Matter, I need to back that up. I immediately researched, identified and donated to two charities run by black leadership that benefit black communities."

–Annie

Another response from a reader. This is longer but worth reading:

"I was sick with presumptive COVID for months. While I waited around alone in my tiny NYC apartment to see if the virus was going to kill me or not, I thought a lot about how I would feel about my life if it did. I've spent my entire life checking boxes and planning for a future that I suddenly wasn't sure would happen.

"I did everything ‘right’ — did great in school, went to a good college, took the high-paying (and confidence-draining) first job, maxed out my retirement accounts and had much more in savings, went to law school and landed at the firm most people only get to dream about. I stressed myself out about having a 50%+ savings rate, took on roommates that didn't always fit with my life, and told myself it'd all be worth it when I could retire early and then live the life I wanted. COVID made me realize I may never get that life. George Floyd's death made me realize most people never even have an opportunity to dream of that life.

"Now, I've committed myself to re-tooling my budget to make my current life easier and more enjoyable and to reflect the fact that I'm privileged beyond my wildest dreams and can have a much bigger impact on others' lives through investing in my values."

–Elizabeth

Thank you to everyone who shared. You can read more responses on Instagram.

Here’s what changed for me in the last 12 months, especially during lockdown.

Some smaller, practical things:

My family did a family Zoom call every weekend where we got to catch up together. I liked it! We never did this before.

No more waiting for tomorrow. My wife and I wrote out our bucket lists, the list of things we want to do in our lives. Quarantine reminded us that if we want to do something, we should make it a priority and make it happen. If you want to see an elderly grandparent, don’t wait. If you want to travel somewhere, set a date and make it happen.

I understand the appeal of having more space. I’m not ready to own a house yet, but I can see why people like a house. Cass and I took walks, watched the animals in our backyard, and cooked more. Are we about to turn into the Pioneer Couple??

I’ve also been thinking a lot about what a Rich Life means to me now, in light of everything that's happened.

In my early 20s, a Rich Life was being able to order an appetizer or a round of drinks for friends without worrying about the price. As I became more financially successful, my definition expanded — to be able to travel, to buy my time back, to be generous.

When coronavirus first happened, I used my money to move fast. Using money can provide security in emergencies. It felt good to be able to use money for the things that mattered: The IWT team, our customers, people who needed food.

A Rich Life includes freedom and flexibility. Yes, that includes the freedom to take a long vacation or to buy something on a whim...but it also includes the freedom to help protect myself and my family from unexpected threats like coronavirus. How would you define freedom? How have you used your money in this time?

In 2019, a friend challenged me to give away 1% of my net worth. He was hosting an event on political fundraising for a small group. Here’s what he said:

“Looking back 50 years from now, what will you say you did at this moment? What will you tell your kids? Will you be proud?

“Consider donating 1% of your net worth. Every one of you knows you’ll make that back in a few months from the market. If you want to make a change, back it up with your money.”

Why haven’t I put the same energy into this as other parts of my life? It’s one thing to believe in something, but another to show it, to back it up with time and money, and to make it a regular part of my week. I know what it takes to do this! Years ago, I wanted to change my body, so I built an entire system around my food and fitness. I integrated it into my calendar, my spending, my life.

But I hadn't done the same for the things that matter to me: education, voting rights, equality. I would send the occasional donation, but beyond that...not much. That changed.

I now integrate these values into my life. I integrate politics, voting, equality, and education into my life. My wife and I looked up organizations we wanted to support. I’ve been reading and learning.

Tomorrow, I'll talk about what it means to build a Rich Life.

But I want to start by listening.

12 months ago, if you’d asked me, “Do you believe in equality?” of course I would’ve said yes. But if you asked, "What have you done in the past week to support it?" I wouldn’t have had a good answer.

Same thing for you — whether your Rich Life is about freedom, flexibility, safety, or travel.

When it comes to achieving your Rich Life, it can be easy to get stuck in dream mode, thinking about "someday," while staying stuck in the day-to-day challenges.

Today, I'd like to hear one thing you could do to move toward your Rich Life.

And what's the biggest obstacle between you and your Rich Life today?

Reply to this email. I read every one.