In a world that often glorifies fat paycheques, luxury lifestyles and big job titles, CA Abhishek Walia believes this view is incomplete. For him, the true measure of wealth is not how much money you earn, but how much time you truly control.
He wrote on LinkedIn, “We celebrate people who are cash-rich. Big salaries. Bigger titles. Fancy lifestyles. But here’s the truth: a person earning Rs 2 lakh a month but working 16-hour days isn’t wealthier than someone earning Rs 1 lakh a month with evenings free to spend with family.”
He explains that while money can buy material comforts, time brings something far more important, i.e., life itself. “Money buys things. Time buys life,” he noted, highlighting how many people end up trading away precious hours in pursuit of higher incomes.
Walia also pointed out the hidden cost of being what he calls “cash-rich but time-poor.” He said, “When you’re cash-rich but time-poor, every purchase is just compensation. New phones to escape, vacations to recover, gadgets to distract.” In contrast, when people have time on their side, even smaller earnings feel abundant, as they are spent on meaningful experiences.
For him, true wealth is measured not by a salary slip but by how present one is in life. “True wealth isn’t about how much money you make. It’s about how much time you control. Because at the end, nobody remembers your salary slip. They remember whether you showed up,” Walia said.
His words strike a chord in today’s fast-paced world, where long working hours and constant stress often leave little room for family, hobbies, or rest. Walia’s message is a reminder that while money is important, time is priceless, and finding the right balance is the real success.
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