The Stoic Triangle of Wealth: How to Live Well and Be Rich

Can you be wealthy and Stoic at the same time?

What if you apply Stoic philosophy to wealth building? That’s what I thought in 2018 for the first time.

Now, 5 years later, I’ve been building wealth like a Stoic. That helps me to live peacefully, and at the same time, get richer.

I’ve learned that there are three things you can do to become rich while living well. (Because simply having more money won’t make anyone happy).

• Focus on your true desires
• Compound your money
• Protect your capital

I call that the Stoic Triangle of Wealth. This idea allows us to live a life that’s both fulfilling and financially abudant.

Focus on your true desires

Our desires can be divided into two categories: The things society wants us to have, and the things we truly want.

What are the things you truly and deeply enjoy? For me, this includes writing, reading, running, cycling, and spending time with people I care about.

Do I want to have a fancier car and and more lavish vacations? Sure, why not. But I won’t spend a significant amount of energy and time trying to get those.

Here’s the thing: A lot of our “wants” are dictated by other people. Some folks buy certain brands of clothes to impress others.

While others buy large homes to get approval from their co-workers or relatives. We might even subscribe to the appeal of traveling to exotic places because we want to show off on social media.

Doing these things isn’t always bad. But it becomes a problem when try to live the life that other people value. What about the things that YOU value?

Not all people want an overly simple life. Living in the woods, without the conveniences of civilization, isn’t appealing for me either. But from what I’ve seen, many people also don’t need most luxuries to be genuinely happy.

Here’s a question to ask yourself: What would your ideal day look like?