From time to time, the guys and I talk about life. The goals we’ve set for ourselves, the things we want in life, etc. Money always comes up. I hear people say “I just want to be rich” often.
I’ve told them I’m fine with being comfortable. If it comes down to the perception of “ having a lot of money”, I don’t want to be rich.
That usually gets a laugh.
”Yeah, you do Tyme”.
“It’s okay Tyme, just admit it”.
I laugh with them but the truth is, I want to be wealthy, not rich. There’s an actual difference between the two.
Being Rich vs. Being Wealthy
Being rich is about having a high income to spend on things like an expensive car, designer clothes, traveling to exotic locations, etc. It’s about the material possessions you buy, in addition to having a lot of money.
A person can get rich rather quickly. Win the lottery, inherit money, sell a business, get a high-paying job. You don’t need to change your mindset, you just need to be lucky.
Wealth is the money you hold onto. It has nothing to do with spending money. You’re aware that money is something you can lose. It’s a tool that can improve your quality of life. The main goal is to maintain financial independence with assets that continue to generate income for you.
How Wealthy People See the World
The people who want to be rich see the world differently from the ones who want to be wealthy.
Wealthy people tend to be confident but giving. They know how to make money. They understand that it can come and go, so they don’t worry about it. When you know how to generate wealth, why would you?
A person focused on being rich will usually take the job that pays the most. The money is the goal, so the decision makes sense.
A person focused on being wealthy might take a job that pays less if it teaches them a skill or gets them close to the right people. They care more about gaining leverage that will serve them in the long run.
The rich mindset asks, “How much will I make right now?”
The wealthy mindset asks, “How will this benefit me in the future?”
This is why many wealthy people become leaders, whether they set out to or not. They’re good at making sound decisions. They trust their judgment. That confidence doesn’t come from being rich. You can only get it from knowing you can adapt and rebuild if needed.
The Point I’ve Been Making All Along
If your goal is to be rich, your happiness is tied to a number. When that number drops, so does your sense of security.
If your goal is to be wealthy, sustainability is more important. You still want to have more money, but you’re not controlled by that desire.
That difference affects how you work, how you learn, how you fail, and how you move through life.
So when my friends laugh and tell me I want to be rich, I let them. I know what I mean.
I don’t want to chase money without having a plan B, C, D… I need to have a safety net in place. I don’t want success that disappears the moment my circumstances change. I want to have the mindset that survives the ups and downs life throws at me.
I don’t want to be rich. I want to be wealthy.
📌 Changelog
- December 10, 2025: Changed the formatting and re-wrote some sections to improve the flow.
- October 23, 2007: Date article was originally published.
