The Freedom Formula: How Your Philosophy Towards Wealth, Health, Relationships, and Happiness Can Set You Free
A friend once shared about her trip to the gynaecologist. She was faced with an extremely worrisome situation where her newborn will develop a 1 in 4 chance of a lifelong complications.
When seeking her doctor for advice on what her next steps should be, she was faced with a simple yet profound response:
“It depends on your philosophy towards parenthood.”
The strange thing is, even though thousands of hours have passed since that conversation, yet it still sticks with me like a rock. There is more to philosophy than just academic theory; it’s a way of approaching life.
Despite the fact that philosophy involves intellectual pursuits like metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, aesthetics, political philosophy, and logic, at its core, it’s a guiding principle for living.
Unless we define the fundamental aspects of a fulfilling and meaningful life clearly, we will always be lost and at the mercy of someone else’s definition.
We begin our journey toward a well-rounded and fulfilling life by focusing on these four fundamental aspects of a fulfilling and meaningful life:
- What is your philosophy towards wealth?
- What is your philosophy towards health?
- What is your philosophy towards relationships?
- What is your philosophy towards happiness?
These four pillars of well-being are interconnected and must be considered holistically.
Do you feel tired, frustrated, hopeless and helpless? Reassess your guiding philosophy (if you’ve bothered to define it in the first place) and see that you’ve strayed.
On Wealth
It’s surprising to think that many have their philosophy on wealth shaped by the arbitrary number of $1 million.
There are also those who scoff at that amount as not being enough.
I call bullshit on both perspectives.
Wealth is merely a tool to achieve other goals, rather than an end in itself.
Money is essentially a form of stored value, and unless you enjoy the potential for potential’s sake, the value of money lies in what it can help you achieve.
I’m less interested in potential than in actual results. This applies to both people and money. I could care less about how much potential you have or how much money you could make. What matters most to me is what you’ve actually achieved and what your money helped you accomplish. Ultimately, money is a means to tangible outcomes, not just the promise of what might be.
This is my philosophy on wealth when considered holistically with the other three pillars — there’s no point in wealth without using it to accelerate your standing in health, relationships and happiness.
I don’t love nor hate money. I simply use money as it should be.
The love for wealth is a primal, low-level desire that first-world humans should move beyond, simply because it is driven by immediate gratification and self-indulgence, rather than by a deeper sense of purpose or meaning.
This is my personal philosophy on wealth which ideally sets you on the path to define your own.
On Health
Health is not just about being free from physical ailments, but also encompasses emotional and psychological wellness, as well as social connections and support.
From an objective standpoint,
If your BMI is not within the normal range, you’re sick.
If your mental health is not optimal, you’re sick.
Self-respect starts with good health that is not merely the absence of illness or disease, but rather a holistic state of physical, mental, and social well-being.
Recognizing sickness before the sickness dominates you is key. Health should be maintained proactively and habitually so that it is less likely to require reactive approaches as a result of neglect.
In popular culture, there’s a strong emphasis on empathy and understanding towards those who are sick or unwell, and this is generally a positive thing as nobody should have an opinion on your philosophy towards your own health.
However, it’s important not to allow yourself to identify solely as an unhealthy version of yourself. Instead, focus on what you can control and strive to be the best version of yourself as possible. With the right mindset and effort, optimal health is within reach.
Too many people give up on themselves too early and get offended when others spur them into objectively healthier habits.
This is my philosophy on health: A positive attitude towards health can have a profound impact on our overall wellbeing and quality of life. If it is within our control, it should never be the barrier towards good relationships and happiness.
On Relationships
Our nature is to belong.
There are some people who convince themselves that they don’t need anyone, often as a result of past pain or trauma. However, this kind of thinking can be harmful and isolating in the long run.
Cut the drama and face the reality of our emotional needs.
The most powerful relationships are those that stand the test of time.
They are the ones that were forged before any iota of success or significance.
Relationships, in its purest form, should be untainted by the pursuit of wealth, health, and happiness.
Relationships can make you poor.
Relationships can make you drained.
Relationships can piss you off.
In spite of this, will you choose to pursue? By doing so, we build relationships that are truly meaningful and fulfilling, and that enhance our lives in profound ways.
Ultimately, to truly connect with others and build fulfilling relationships, we must approach them with openness, honesty, and a genuine desire to connect on a human level.
My philosophy on relationships is that they represent the ultimate test of our freedom from wealth, health, and happiness. If we are truly free, we should be able to pursue relationships for their own sake, rather than as a means to an end.
On Happiness
We all want to be happy.
But happiness is arbitrary until we define it for ourselves.
Is happiness the absence of pain?
Is happiness the constant feeling of joy?
Is happiness the pursuit of fulfilling work, regardless of the cost?
In the end, defining our personal philosophy on happiness requires us to carefully consider our priorities in terms of wealth, health, and relationships.
By ranking these elements in our own unique order, we can gain a clearer understanding of what truly matters to us and what brings us the greatest sense of fulfillment and joy.
Evidently, my personal rank order in terms of relative importance is this:
- Relationships
- Health
- Wealth
But notice this, we typically pursue them in reverse:
- Wealth
- Health
- Relationships
While this may seem counterintuitive at first, it actually makes sense when we consider that these lower-level needs provide the foundation upon which we can build our higher aspirations. In other words, by meeting our more primal physical and material needs, we can create the conditions that allow us to pursue higher forms of happiness and fulfilment.
Ultimately, by prioritising these foundational elements and building a solid base, we can unlock the potential for deeper, more meaningful experiences and connections in our lives.
Here is your challenge: don’t run out of time before pursuing what truly matters to you, as too many of us tend to do.
About Me:
Hi! I’m Darien — a proud husband and digital entrepreneur from Singapore.
One of the main themes you’ll find in my work is philosophy on health, wealth, relationships, and happiness.
I firmly believe that these four pillars of life are interconnected and that we cannot have one without the others. I also believe that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to achieving success in these areas. Instead, we need to find our own unique paths and embrace our individuality.
My goal is to challenge you to think critically about your own beliefs and values so that you can live a life that you truly love. If you’re ready to start living life on your own terms, then you’re at the right place.
