Wealth and social are essentially the same thing. At the core, both come down to the value you can create for others. You don’t need to pile up gold or dollars or bitcoins, and you don’t need to please people just to be liked. Those are surface-level measures. What matters is whether you can make, build, or invent something — even if it’s intangible or virtual — that others truly want or benefit from.

So instead of wasting energy trying to look rich or popular, spend it on growing your knowledge and capabilities. Learn more, think sharper, build better things. The more you can create what others value, the more wealth and social connection naturally come to you — not through chasing, but through contribution.

When you realize this, you stop playing on the surface and start focusing on what actually compounds: your mind, your skills, your creations. That’s where true wealth and influence live. Don’t waste even a second on any other domain.