Wealth Accumulation: An Introduction to The Wealth Game

Imagine trying to play a game without knowing the rules or even the basic objective of the game. Chances are, you wouldn’t perform very well. Without knowing the game’s basic rules and how it’s played, you’re at a major disadvantage compared to those who are well-versed in it. Yet, this is exactly what is taking place in every city across the planet. We’re all playing the wealth game. But most of us don’t understand the rules. Some people aren’t even aware that wealth accumulation is a game. I don’t like seeing people struggle needlessly. That’s why today’s entry is introducing the concept of wealth accumulation as a game.

Follow Along With The Financially Simple Podcast!

• What wealth is and the different aspects of life it entails
• The rules of the wealth game
• Defining financial independence
• The baseball diamond and the different bases of financial wealth
• How your attitude toward money can affect wealth

Wealth Accumulation Gamified: What Is Wealth?

Most people wish to reach some level of financial success. That particular level may vary from person to person, but most of us desire some level of personal wealth. You see, true wealth enables us to do the things we desire to do without being confined to the limitations of “a job.” But there are rules to acquiring that type of wealth, and if you’re going to win the wealth game, you must understand the rules. However, before we examine the rules, we need to understand what wealth is.

Webster’s Dictionary defines wealth as an “abundance of valuable material possessions or resources,” or an “abundant supply.” That’s all well and good. But, perhaps, you view wealth from the spiritual sense. In the Christian world, this is often referred to as the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Regardless of your religious views, you might consider yourself spiritually wealthy. Similarly, you could look at wealth from a relational standpoint. 

Judy Garland once said, “I can live without money, but I cannot live without love.” There’s some truth to this statement. Friendships and the people we love hold a much higher value in our hearts than money. So, there’s relational wealth. Additionally, the classical Roman poet Virgil claimed that “The greatest wealth, is health.”  Having just gone through the health scare we had with my sweet wife, Emily, I can absolutely relate. I would have given every dime we have to care for her. So, health is also a form of wealth. However, when it comes to the wealth game, I’m really referring to financial independence. That is, the ability to create an income without having to go to work.

The Rules of the Game

Although we’re talking about financial independence through wealth accumulation, money isn’t the object of the game. So, the first rule is that money is nothing more than a magnifier of who you are. You see, the moment you make money THE object, you’ve lost the wealth game. Friends, I’ve seen people who come into great fortunes and have nothing left to show for it within a year. They’re living in a “broke” mindset. On the other hand, I’ve known people who took a minor windfall and turned it into a financial legacy for generations to come. Still, yet, there are those who donate massive sums of cash to charities because that’s their heart being magnified.

Rule number two is that money is NOT the object of the wealth game. Playing the game is the object. You see, the moment you make it about money, you’ve lost the game. That’s when you find yourself losing everything. Your relationships, your family, and your health can all disappear in the blink of an eye when making money is your sole focus. Instead, you should be working toward financial independence. When you’re financially independent, you can pay your bills without having to worry about going to work. Financial independence allows you more time and resources to do the things that are magnifications of your character.

What Is the Game?

I want you to kind of look at the wealth game as though it were a baseball diamond. We all start off in the batter’s box where we prepare to get on base. In the United States, getting on first base is almost automatic. If you enter the workforce, you get on base. But you don’t want to reach first base and just hang out there for the rest of your life. No. If you’ve ever watched a baseball game, then you know how the crowd goes wild each time a runner rounds the bases and crosses home plate.

As a player in the wealth game, you want to round each base and continue going until you’ve reached home plate. But each base has its own unique challenges and requirements to advance. As we continue this series, we will go into greater detail on how to move from base to base, and what it looks like to reach each one.

Wrapping Up…

Playing the wealth game can be very complicated. Trying to play without knowing the rules is frustrating. But it doesn’t have to be. Join us in our upcoming series as we look at each “base” of the game and the rules required to get to each. And if you have questions about us helping you through the bases, reach out to us.

Friends, life is hard. We all know that. But if you take a moment to truly reflect on all that you have, it’s impossible not to smile at the enormous blessings that have been poured out on each of us. Let’s go out and make it a great day!