The Real Net Worth

How Time Not Money Defines the Richness of Your Life

According to Investopedia, “wealth is measured by taking the value of all the assets of worth owned by a person. This is determined by taking the total market value of all physical and intangible assets owned, then subtracting all debts. Essentially, wealth is the accumulation of scarce resources.” Based on this definition, society tends to equate wealth with a number or a dollar amount.

But is that really what wealth is? Over a year ago, as I transitioned into coaching and wellness, this was one of the first things I wrote about—challenging the traditional definition of wealth and redefining it through the lens of our most finite resource: TIME. A lot has happened since then. The ebb and flow of days, weeks, months, and years continues. Trips have been taken, birthdays celebrated, sporting events cheered on, concerts attended, snowstorms weathered, and long summer days soaked in. And with each passing moment, time keeps moving forward.

So, I decided to refresh the numbers. Now at 45, if I live to be 88, I have approximately 15,700 days—about 2,243 weeks—remaining in my life. My kids, now 9 and 7, have roughly 3,285 days and 4,015 days, respectively, before they turn 18 and step into their own independent lives. These numbers aren’t just calculations; they’re a reminder that time is not something we can save—it’s only something we can spend.

So, with this in mind, how are you choosing to spend your most scarce resource?