Money is only one form of wealth. I’ll make this message for today fairly short, but it just might be one of the most important ones I’ve sent to you in a while. 

Our culture has pushed and trained and brainwashed so many of us to chase money and watches and things so we become “rich.” 

It’s sad. Because people get hurt (by getting nice things and losing their soul along the way).

And this brainwashing is designed to make us think that if we exhaust our energy and spend our lifeforce on this pursuit, we’ll get to a place where we wake up happy. 

It’ll never happen. Never. Ever.

I’ve seen it time and time again with the billionaire clients that I’ve mentored for decades. They feel happy for a week and then the scientific phenomenon of hedonic adaptation takes effect, they normalize the new rewards and, of course, they want more.

Personally, I must share that though I’ve sold well over 25 million books and spoken in stadium after stadium for most of my adult life, such things have made pretty much no difference to my satisfaction levels. There are so many more important priorities for me.

20 years ago I introduced The 8 Forms of Wealth. My clients have found it deeply helpful in the building of an honestly beautiful life.

Once you learn each of them and then spend a little time each day making them more real in your hours I can assure you, you’ll become truly (versus fakely) rich.

A great life may have financial independence in it and if that’s important to you then win in this area, please. But without wellness, love, craft and the other forms (along with my unspecific tools that optimize each one) a person ends up as the richest person in the graveyard. 

The finest leaders understand that their highest calling is not to create more followers—but to grow more leaders. They see leadership as a relay race: the measure of their greatness is how well they pass the baton. Research in Harvard Business Review confirms that organizations with “leader-makers” outperform those without them in both innovation and employee engagement.

Exceptional leaders are not threatened by talent; they are excited by it. They shine a bright light on the gifts of their people, bringing hidden genius into the open and helping others step into their own native and original leadership.

Second, as they live to what I emphasize in my leadership keynotes to the world’s best companies: brilliant leaders turn problems into possibilities and adversity into results.

Where victims surrender their power in difficult times, real leaders hold their ground and turn challenges into stepping stones.

According to the Harvard Business Review, reframing problems as opportunities increases creative solutions by up to 45%. Fascinating right? 

The finest leaders use tough seasons as crucibles for growth, understanding that storms reveal strength, sharpen resilience, and clarify what truly matters.

I love the Mexican proverb that says: “They tried to bury us; they didn’t know we were seeds.”

Third, the greatest leaders are inspirationalists. They see what everyone sees but think what few dare to think. They disrupt outdated norms and are willing to endure criticism to attempt the impossible.

Their courage inspires teams to break free from mediocrity and aim for extraordinary results. They don’t just speak about vision—they embody it, showing what’s possible when conviction outweighs caution.

Fourth, great leaders move from being “busy being busy” to being monomaniacally focused on the few things that matter most. In a distracted world, they are disciplined executors. They choose depth over speed, completion over motion, and impact over appearance. They make the hard decisions to prioritize what truly moves the mission forward—and they inspire others to do the same.

Finally, brilliant leaders measure their worth not by personal gain, but by the value they deliver to others. They push our civilization forward by creating products, services, and ideas that make life richer, more humane, and more beautiful. They are legacy-driven—leaving behind a world that is better, stronger, and wiser because they lived.

Lead this way, and you’ll not only transform your organization—you’ll elevate everyone you touch. That’s the true work of leadership.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: If you’re looking for one of the world’s best and most valuable masterminds to cause explosive growth to your business while you learn exactly how to make your personal life happier, healthier, more soulful and of more meaning, keep reading…

…I’m doing the final, last, never again edition of The Mogul Accelerator [TMA] — my premium program for serious entrepreneurs who want to build a domain dominant business while enjoying a life of deep purpose, rare-air adventure and overall health.

…It’s a one year process starting with a life changing 3 day live summit with me in London at The Mandarin Oriental on December 6th, 7th, and 8th 2025. This alone is worth your investment as you’ll learn insights, systems and tools that you won’t learn anywhere else and meet some of the most amazing people in the world. Sometimes a live event changes everything. This is that event.

…for the rest of the year you’ll be guided through an advanced, fun and super tactical online program as well as be transformed via 10 live sessions with me (on a monthly basis). 

…expect to make superb gains in your business success, rewire your thinking and productivity, maximize your leadership, income and impact and have the best year you’ve ever had.

One of the curses that must be made into blessings, as a creative producer, is that of critical attack.

What I’m trying to say to you is that the very nature of pushing your mastery into the marketplace means that you’ll be guaranteed to face the arrows of people who don’t like what you do. And don’t understand what you’ve made.

If you listen to the critics and believe the comments of the naysayers, you’ll lose your confidence. And dim your game—retreating from your genius and surrendering to what’s average.

DO. NOT. ALLOW. THIS. EVER. Please.

Because when you present your brilliance to the world you do your part to make the world more brilliant.

I’ve faced the meanness of critics. 

Last night I watched an interview with celebrated British artist Tracey Emin. She shared her philosophy, spoke of her artistry and then mentioned how often she paints over pictures that she doesn’t like.

Her suggestion was that success is a numbers game. 

And to produce great art, one must create a lot of less than perfect art. 

May I humbly suggest that this is an absolutely wise observation for us, who are dedicated to creating, devoted to producing and in the game of longing to make masterwork.

To make magic demands that we must generate a lot of mediocrity. [Please read that twice]. 

Yes, to arrive at a Sistine Chapel ceiling or a Taj Mahal or a Moonlight Sonata, you and I must exercise the bravery to risk. And dare. And get things (very) wrong (as we explore uncharted lands). Until we get things right. 

We need to be willing to fail. We need to keep going when quitting seems best. We need to ignore the critics and silence the inner cynic (oh how loudly it chatters!). And continue to produce work that seems bad in the hot chase of work that will become amazing.

This summer was a small and subtle gift, of sorts. I hope yours has been too.

It began with a truly extraordinary event in Mauritius (oh what a magical island you are!), where I had the privilege of spending time with so many of my beloved readers in a setting that felt as magical as it was meaningful, sharing my insights on leadership and human greatness in this most messy of times we inhabit (things will get better!).

The energy in the room, the generosity of spirit, the shared commitment to human growth and business excellence—it reminded me again of why I do what I do. I am deeply grateful to everyone who attended, participated, and helped make it such  a powerful experience.

After that, I traded a microphone and meeting room for something far quieter and quite necessary after the first 6 months of this year crisscrossing the planet for keynotes and mentoring engagements. I spent three weeks in a small cottage on a vineyard in South Africa.

Winter there meant roaring fires in the evenings, the glorious scents of nature in the air, and the simple pleasure of reading the classics—Tolstoy, Emerson, Orwell and Woolf—while the rain tapped gently on the windows. And my mountain bike waited for me to show up.

Mornings started at 4AM with MVP (Meditation, Visualization and Prayer) then a 5AM workout in the gym. After journaling and an ice bath (and some strong coffee), I’d work on the outline for my next book.

I also picked up my paintbrush again, fully losing myself in colours and shapes. Making my art is one of the few pursuits that deeply quiets my mind and allows me to retreat from the world. It’s a meditation for me, of sorts. I adore the pursuit [a sincere thank you to all the collectors seeking my artworks].

I also spent long hours reflecting on how I can evolve as a content creator and leadership thinker over the years ahead, while elevating my roles as a family man, friend and public servant.

I think you’ll agree it’s super important to regularly take stock of where we’re heading and how we’re doing so we can course correct when needed. Or celebrate the progress if deserved.

Three lessons emerged from this time away. I pray they bring you value.

The first was this one: wisdom lives in stillness.

In our world of constant noise, ceaseless notifications, and the relentless pull of mass distraction, it’s nearly impossible to hear our own deepest truth. The mind yells while the soul whispers, right?

Yet when we withdraw for a while—into the wilderness, into solitude—we start to understand the subtle signals that guide us toward what matters most. Stillness clears the static so the most honest message can get through.

The second lesson: walking breeds creativity.

Almost every day, I wandered the vineyard paths or explored the hills beyond. I’ve been a nature walker for 30+ years. It’s changed my life. And saved it too.

Poets, playwrights, and philosophers have long known what science now proves—that walking, especially in nature, is one of the surest ways to renew the mind and spark new ideas.

Many of the insights I recorded in my notebook came to me mid-step, in the quiet rhythm of movement, in a way they never could have at my desk. Walking is not only a way to recover—it’s a way to create.

The third insight: the value of rich conversation.

Along the way, I met many wonderful people—locals, travellers, fellow wanderers—and our conversations often went deep, fast. Please remember that every human being we meet has a story to tell and a lesson to teach. If we have the ears to open ourselves to them.

Our chats weren’t about the weather or the wars, or the economy and the environment. No dear FIRSTNAME, they were about the things that light me up. And breathe life into my soul. Subjects such as art, creativity, health and happiness, purpose, and possibility. And making our world a better place to be.

I left more than one dinner table with a new perspective, a new story, a new idea. All it takes is one idea, from one good conversation, to change the course of a life.

As I return to the familiar rhythms of work and travel and my usual life, I carry these lessons with me: to seek stillness, to walk more often, and to keep finding (and having) conversations that matter.

My humble hope is that, in sharing them with you, they spark something that serves you well in the season ahead.