My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Many successful people continue earning money they'll never spend, effectively trading their most valuable hours for useless dollars, representing one of the worst possible trades
The Reasoning
Time is the only truly finite resource, while money beyond a certain threshold provides no additional utility. Once you have enough money for your desired lifestyle, additional earnings provide diminishing returns while consuming irreplaceable time that could be spent on relationships, health, creativity, or experiences
What Needs to Be True
- Time is more valuable than money beyond basic needs
- Many wealthy people continue working primarily for money they don't need
- Alternative uses of time (relationships, health, creativity) provide more value than additional money
- People often don't reassess whether they still need more money as their wealth grows
Counterargument
Additional money provides security, options, and ability to help others; successful people might continue working because they love the work itself, not just for money
What Would Change This View
Evidence that wealthy people working primarily for money report higher life satisfaction than those who've shifted focus to non-monetary pursuits
Implications for Builders
Regularly reassess whether you're still optimizing for money you actually need
Build businesses that remain fulfilling beyond financial returns
Design products that help people transition from money-focused to fulfillment-focused decisions
Create systems to help people determine their 'enough' number
Example Application
“A successful entrepreneur realizes they have enough money to live comfortably forever, shifts from growing their business for profit to focusing on creative projects and family time, finding greater life satisfaction”
Related Knowledge
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Social Wealth Competition Trap
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20-20-20 Life Design System
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Relationship-First Life Design
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Increased life satisfaction, more memorable experiences, expanded comfort zone, and protection against life becoming a b