Who do you consider “rich”?
The top 1% of earners?
If so, which 1%?
To be in the global top 1%, you only need to make ~$34,000/year (as of 4.2.26).
So why do we define “rich” as anyone who earns more than we do?
Why is our focus always upward, on those ahead of us?
Maybe it’s because we’ve made a subtle, but dangerous mistake:
We benchmark self-worth using net worth.
Money is a practical metric.
But we’ve turned it into a personal verdict.
That shift has consequences.
“Money shame” contributes to addiction, destroys marriages, and, in some cases, ends lives.
According to the CDC, financial strain increases suicide risk.
Roughly 16% of suicides are tied to financial difficulty.
Why?
Yes, financial pressure creates stress.
Survival depends on financial stability in a modern economy.
Money impacts access to:
- Healthcare
- Transportation
- Relationships
- Safety
But stress alone rarely explains collapse.
Research shows deeper social consequences:
When men are unemployed, both husbands and wives are more likely to leave the marriage.
Why?
Because:
- There’s no longer an economic incentive to stay
- It violates societal expectations of what a marriage “should” be
Another study found:
Earning over $50,000/year reduces divorce risk by up to 30% compared to incomes under $25,000.
Your financial position affects your life far beyond money.
So it makes sense that society starts tying it to identity.
But here’s the problem:
When you treat your financial situation as a character flaw, you sabotage your ability to fix it.
You don’t think clearly.
You don’t act strategically.
You react emotionally.
Money is a problem to solve.
Not a judgment to carry.
When your self-worth is tied to your bank account:
- You take desperate risks
- You overspend to cope
- You avoid reality
That’s not a financial strategy.
That’s emotional survival.
Separating self-worth from net worth isn’t just good for your mental health.
It’s essential for:
- Smart investing
- Risk management
- Spending discipline
- Long-term wealth building
And then there’s the “Joneses.”
We define “rich” as whoever has more than we do, regardless of our actual position.
That’s not ambition.
That’s envy.
Greed can build economies.
Envy destroys individuals.
Add family into the equation:
Kids bring pressure.
Responsibility.
Perspective shifts.
Now your financial standing doesn’t just feel like your problem, it feels like your legacy.
And that amplifies the shame.
So we compare.
Constantly.
But as Jordan Peterson said:
“Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today.”
The solution is simple, but not easy:
Work with your reality. Not someone else’s fantasy.
Build from where you are.
Because the fastest way to grow your net worth…
…is to stop tying it to your self-worth.
Confidence that is independent of money
→ leads to better decisions
→ which leads to better outcomes
→ which builds actual wealth
Thoreau said “[most men] live quiet lives of desperation.” Don’t be “most men.”
Working with a non-ideal reality will always outperform chasing an ideal fantasy.
Every time.
Money is a practical component, not a personal verdict.
Your financial situation is a problem to solve, not a judgment about your worth.
4.2.26
By Noah Cisneros
Disclaimer:
This article is not sponsored or approved by any financial institution that I am associated with. I am NOT a certified personal financial advisor. I am NOT a professional investor. This article is purely educational to provide helpful ideas to improve life. Please use the tools within your reach to personally make any and all decisions for your finances.
Noah Cisneros 