I don’t pay much attention to my investment portfolio, but I watch my meaning portfolio like a hawk
A meaning portfolio is your collection of “meaning assets” – the reasons you get out of bed in the morning
They are what makes life worth living
A meaning portfolio is your collection of “meaning assets” – the reasons you get out of bed in the morning
They are what makes life worth living
So what should you include in your meaning portfolio?
Here are 2 criteria:
Here are 2 criteria:
1. It has to be something that is an end in itself, not merely a means to something else more important
It is inherently valuable, requiring no utilitarian value to justify its existence
A helpful way to check is to ask yourself, “Would I still do this if I won the lottery?”
It is inherently valuable, requiring no utilitarian value to justify its existence
A helpful way to check is to ask yourself, “Would I still do this if I won the lottery?”
2. It takes ongoing investment and care
Unlike shares of stock, it’s not enough to make a one-time, upfront investment and then let it sit untouched for years
Meaning assets need to be cultivated and nurtured consistently or else they will wither
Unlike shares of stock, it’s not enough to make a one-time, upfront investment and then let it sit untouched for years
Meaning assets need to be cultivated and nurtured consistently or else they will wither
My meaning portfolio has shifted a lot over the years
In my early days in San Francisco, my work made up 90% of my purpose
Every critique or setback felt personal, as if my entire worth was tied to my success at work
In my early days in San Francisco, my work made up 90% of my purpose
Every critique or setback felt personal, as if my entire worth was tied to my success at work
But as life evolved, so did my portfolio
Love, family, hobbies like sailing and health began to balance it out
Today, work is just 30% of my meaning portfolio
It's still vital, but no longer the sole pillar of my existence
Love, family, hobbies like sailing and health began to balance it out
Today, work is just 30% of my meaning portfolio
It's still vital, but no longer the sole pillar of my existence
I’ve learned that when you derive most of your meaning from work, every problem seems much bigger than it really is
Many problems can indeed be fixed, but there is also a more fundamental solution you can try: diversifying your investments of meaning
Many problems can indeed be fixed, but there is also a more fundamental solution you can try: diversifying your investments of meaning
Spread out your care and attention and create a wider base of support for your self-worth
There will still be problems, but they will feel so much less dramatic
There will still be problems, but they will feel so much less dramatic
I always thought the term “net worth” was strange, given that it usually refers to a person’s total financial assets
It was so clear to me, even at a young age, that money had nothing to do with someone’s worth
It was so clear to me, even at a young age, that money had nothing to do with someone’s worth
I’ve found that a meaning portfolio is a far better measure of self-worth, giving you places and people to turn to when one area of life knocks you down
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