Lasting Wealth

What if I told you that the richest people in the world aren’t always the ones with the most money? That wealth, in its truest form, isn’t found in bank accounts, investment portfolios, or luxury possessions?

True wealth begins with contentment.

That might sound overly simple, but it’s a concept that has stood the test of time. Contentment is the ability to be at peace with who you are, where you are, and what you already have. Seeing the value in the present moment, recognizing the good in your life, and refusing to allow what you lack to steal the joy from what you possess.

In other words, don’t allow what you do not have to destroy the wealth that you already possess.

Most people don’t realize how rich they are until they lose something they once took for granted—whether it’s health, freedom, a relationship, or time. Learning to live with a sense of daily appreciation is one of the most valuable habits you can cultivate. It transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. It turns what could feel like “not enough” into more than plenty.

Even while embracing contentment, you should never grow completely comfortable. Within every person should remain a low, steady hum of healthy dissatisfaction—a gentle but persistent awareness of what you could be compared to what you currently are. It’s not about self-loathing or burnout; it’s about potential. It’s about never giving up on the part of yourself that dreams, reaches, and strives.

Without inner drive, we stagnate. And stagnation is the enemy of progress and purpose.

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Bluntly stated: be content, but never satisfied.

This is where many people stumble. They confuse contentment with indulgence, or worse, complacency. In today’s culture, we are more often sated than content. Being sated is what you feel after a huge Thanksgiving meal—when you’ve eaten every bite of stuffing, pie, and mashed potatoes you could handle, and then some. You’re full to the point of discomfort. There’s no room for anything else, not even gratitude.

That same kind of “stuffed” feeling can show up in life too. You land the job, buy the house, check off the boxes—and then what? You settle. You stop learning. You stop growing. You stop wondering what else could be possible for your life, your character, your contributions. You become sated, and eventually, that leads to a subtle kind of distress. Because deep down, you know there’s more—but you’ve stopped reaching for it.

So, let’s make a distinction:

• Contentment is grounded in appreciation and peace.

• Satisfaction, in its final form, can lead to stagnation.

When you stop pushing forward—when you accept that your position, pay, stewardship, or spiritual development will never grow again—you’re choosing to coast. And while rest has its place, a life lived on autopilot can quickly become dull and lifeless.

Contentment is different. It’s the mindset that says, “I am grateful for what I have and who I am right now, even as I strive for more.” It’s the balance of humility and ambition. When you live with that balance, you position yourself for continual growth without chasing fulfillment in the wrong places.

Because here’s another truth: we came into this world with nothing. Naked as a jaybird, as the saying goes. And we will leave it the same way. You don’t take anything with you—not your house, your job title, your stock portfolio, or your car. What you do take with you—if anything—are the things that truly matter: the relationships you built, the lives you touched, the growth you pursued, and the service you rendered to others.

Riches are not evil, but setting your heart solely on them is a trap. Money is a tool, not a purpose. When you use your gifts, your energy, and your life to serve others—to provide value that they can’t easily find on their own—you create the kind of wealth that no thief can steal, no downturn can wipe out, and no market crash can destroy.

This season, slow down. Reflect. Be intentional about focusing your mind and heart on things that are decent, moral, right, wholesome, lovely, admirable, excellent, or exemplary. These aren’t just feel-good concepts; they’re the seeds of contentment. And when watered by gratitude and action, they grow into a harvest of wealth that lasts a lifetime—and beyond.

Let your thankfulness be more than a fleeting feeling that fades after the leftovers are gone. Let it become a posture. A lifestyle. Let it be the lens through which you view every part of your life—from your job to your family to your future.

Don’t just eat until you’re full.
Eat with appreciation.
Eat with joy.
Eat with the awareness that you are already wealthy in ways that matter most.

And as you reflect, keep your eyes on what’s ahead. Ask yourself how you can become even more of the person you were created to be. Because that pursuit—that journey—is where real riches are found.

This Thanksgiving, be content.
Be grateful.

May you be richly blessed with peace, purpose, and a kind of wealth that only grows the more you give it away.

Tomas P. McFie DC PhD

Tom McFie is the founder of McFie Insurance and co-host of the WealthTalks podcast which helps people keep more of the money they make, so they can have financial peace of mind. He has reviewed 1000s of whole life insurance policies and has practiced the Infinite Banking Concept for nearly 20 years, making him one of the foremost experts on achieving financial peace of mind. His latest book, A Biblical Guide to Personal Finance, can be purchased here.