Henry David Thoreau’s Strategy for Becoming Rich

Hint: It had nothing to do with money.

Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash

When I think of Henry David Thoreau I think of Walden, his classic memoir recounting his two years living alone in a cabin on Walden Pond. It’s an American classic.

The poet Robert Frost once said of it:

“In one book … he surpasses everything we have had in America.”

But today’s piece isn’t about Walden. It’s about something else Thoreau wrote. Something that is equally wise and eloquent. Only this work is just one sentence. Nine words.

And it is this:

“I make myself rich by making my wants few.”

Nailed it. That sentence captures the essence of all the teachings I’ve written about and studied these past several years.

What kind of riches does Thoreau attain by ‘making his wants few’? The most valuable riches life has to offer.

The riches of inner peace

It’s the feeling of inner calm and peace that we attain only when we aren’t looking outside to feed our inner selves. “I’m feeling uneasy. I think I’ll Doordash some sushi.”

As I’ve written before, the very fact that we constantly seek to satisfy our wants is a symptom that our…