The Best Investment You Can Make

I recently found an interesting statistic regarding net worth as we age:

The average net worth of someone 35 years or younger is $76,300.

The average net worth of someone 75 years or older is nearly thirteen times higher at $977,600.

The level of wealth from 35 years to 75 years increased at a pretty linear rate. You can see the rest of the stats here. I guess this information isn’t really that interesting… I mean, it makes total sense. The older we get, the more experience we gain, the wiser we get, and the better we become at making decisions. Maybe the most important part of getting older is the fact that we have more time. A 35-year-old hasn’t had much time to increase their wealth, versus someone who’s been around for twice as long.

Uhhhh yeah, Jeremy. This seems pretty obvious. What’s the point of this?

Well, let me tell you.

Everyone is looking to increase their wealth, otherwise, you wouldn’t be going to school or working a job--so don't tell me money isn't important to you. When people are hoping to increase their net worth, they are often searching for ‘the next best investment’. Maybe it’s an IPO, a piece of real estate, a tech start-up, or the like. There are investment opportunities everywhere.

However, I believe the most important investment you can make is in your physical and mental health.

I believe this to be the case for a couple of reasons.

1. The longer we live, the more time we have to acquire wealth

We know that the older we get, the higher our net worth is likely to be. If you can increase your lifespan by being healthier, then you are therefore more likely to increase your net worth at the same time.

2. The healthier we can be, the more time we have to enjoy our gains

What’s the point of exhausting ourselves for forty years, just to be old, frail, and not really capable of enjoying the wealth we worked so hard to build? The key to building wealth is focusing on longevity.

So, Jeremy, how do I ‘invest’ in myself? I’m glad you asked. The list is surprisingly pretty simple. Here are five types of investments, both involving time and money, that are proven to extend our lifespans:

- Diet

If I had to rank the items in this list, this would be number one. The cheapest and most accessible food we can buy is literally the worst food we can have. It's highly processed, mass-produced, and filled with chemicals. We can increase our lifespans by a decade just by eating proper amounts of fruits, vegetables, and other whole foods. Spend the extra money on whole, organic foods. Ever wonder why poverty and obesity are so closely linked?

- Exercise

A study found that 150 minutes of exercise or more each week increased life expectancy by about 7 years over those who didn't do regular moderate exercise. No surprise here. Get out there and move your body.

- Sleep

There are three pillars to every healthy person's daily habits: Diet, exercise, and sleep. People who consistently sleep less than seven hours a night or more than eight hours a night have an increased risk of death, 24% and 17% respectively. Less than six hours of sleep more than triples the risk of death in patients with heart disease or stroke. Sleep is beyond important.

- Meditation

One study found that after an average of 7.6 years (up to a maximum of almost 19 years), the subjects practicing Transcendental Meditation were 23% less likely to die of any cause during that period and 30% less likely to die of cardiovascular disease during the same period. A healthy mind leads to a healthy body. Take about 15-20 minutes a day to be totally alone with yourself.

- Bonus: Knowledge about health

Although this is less tangible than the others, it's just as important. Taking the time to listen to podcasts, read or listen to books, watch videos, and attend seminars regarding health is crucial. If you have a long drive ahead, download some podcasts or audiobooks about health. Not only are they interesting, but they give you invaluable knowledge that will literally make you live longer. Instead of watching The Office on repeat, mix in a documentary or some YouTube videos about healthy living. Search around for local community health seminars that present the latest and greatest information on health topics. Knowledge is power.

I hope you found these tips helpful and even more importantly, I hope you implement some of them into your life. If you enjoyed this article, please share it with friends and family.