5 Personal Habits That Will Make You Richer
One aspect of wealth creation often overlooked is that the longer you live, the richer you’ll be. This is because of compound interest, where the greatest gains come at the end of the compounding period.
The majority of Warren Buffett’s fortune was accumulated after his 50th birthday. And $70 billion of Buffett’s $81 billion net worth was created in his mid-60s. Longevity helps a lot.
That’s why it’s important to make your physical and mental health a priority. The longer you can stay sharp and productive, the richer you’ll be.
Here are five personal habits that will help you enjoy your money into your 70s, 80s, and 90s.
Get 8+ Hours Of Sleep A Night.
Sleep is massively underrated.
I recently watched Mathew Walker’s TED Talk on why “Sleep is your superpower,” and here’s the money quote:
“Sleep, unfortunately, is not an optional lifestyle luxury. Sleep is a non-negotiable, biological necessity. It is your life-support system, and it is mother nature’s best effort yet at immortality.”
The benefits of sleep compound over time. Getting consistent, quality sleep:
Boosts testosterone in men
Improves memory retention before and after learning
Transforms short term memories into long-term memories
Boosts your immune system
Literally keeps your body younger
And if you’re looking to get better sleep, try these:
Avoid alcohol and caffeine
Avoid naps during the day
Go to bed at the same time every day; wake up at the same time every day
Sleep in a cool room (65 degrees or so)
With consistent, quality sleep, you’ll find yourself mentally sharp and physically refreshed.
Make Exercise A Priority.
Naval Ravikant (@naval) reminds us that:
“A fit body, a calm mind, a house full of love. These things cannot be bought - they must be earned.”
For me, a fit body and a calm mind are one and the same.
My default mental state is anxiety, and there is nothing more powerful than a workout to destroy it.
Exercise is my main destresser. I always, always feel better after an intense workout. Plus, it improves my sleep, my mood, ups my confidence and boosts my energy.
If it was advertised as a drug, everyone would buy it. But like anything worth having, it takes work.
Practice Gratitude.
I start most of my mornings (I admit, there are times I fail… it’s a work in progress) with a list of things I’m grateful for. Here’s my list from this morning:
I’m grateful for my morning cup of coffee.
I’m grateful for a sober night’s sleep.
I’m grateful for the health of my family.
I’m grateful for my ability to move and create.
I’m grateful for my wife and dog.
Practicing gratitude changes how your brain is wired. It creates new thought patterns and strengthens them over time.
For me, gratitude allows me to see the world with appreciation and love. And when you start expressing your gratitude to others (with no strings attached), you will be amazed at the response. It will open up opportunities you never thought possible.
One of the first books on value-investing I ever read was Guy Spier’s The Education of a Value Investor. Guy taught me to write thank-you letters.
He has since sent me a copy of his book, a bar of chocolate, a family Christmas photo, and an Aquamarine shirt (the fund that he founded). This is all from a man who manages well over 100 million dollars. Gratitude compounds over time, and Guy has gotten what he deserves in life.
Find Your Obsession And Use It For Good.
I can be obsessive. (My wife is nodding her head vigorously in agreement).
But, I am careful about how I hone this personality trail. I try to obsess only over things that I can control that will help me build wealth. I obsess over the scalable endeavors that present asymmetric opportunities.
Basically, stuff that can bring me more money without me doing more work, where the upside is greater than the downside.
Obsessing allows me to finish what I believe is worth finishing. It’s my competitive advantage to get through the troughs of learning that most people just don’t get through.
And it compounds over time. The more I obsess over mental models, ways of thinking, and how to learn, the better I get at spotting opportunities to build wealth.
Build A Small, Powerful Personal Support Network.
My personal circle is small and strong. I have the unwavering support of friends and family, and I always attempt to give unwavering support in return. This love cannot be bought - it must be earned over a lifetime. Trust between two people compounds over time.
This support system gives me the confidence to take risks. To pursue what I want to pursue without the fear of embarrassment if I fail. Feeling safe enough to fail is a competitive advantage that compounds over time. The more you fail, the more you learn.
You must balance keeping the support system strong, while also being open to new connections. Not all new connections will become part of your support network, but it’s important to stay open to the possibility. You never know who is meant to help you, and at which moment.
Over the course of your life, these personal habits will compound. And the longer you live, the richer you’ll be.
Thanks for reading.
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SOURCES
Watch Matt Walker’s “Sleep is your superpower” here.