In my youthful days, there existed an affluent gentleman in our social circle, often visiting our home. On one occasion, I posed a question akin to this.
Rather than a direct response, he chose to elucidate through the medium of the game I was engrossed in at the time. (Curiously, he was an enthusiast of gaming.)
The game in question was none other than Minecraft.
Yes, Minecraft became the vessel through which I grasped the profound paradox of wealth.
He enjoined me to embark on a new virtual realm with a singular objective: to construct an entire domicile from diamond blocks, all within the rigors of survival mode.
Indeed, I am not jesting.
Thus, I plunged into this fresh expanse, erecting a rudimentary wooden abode and ensuring sustenance, before venturing forth in search of diamonds.
I navigated treacherous caverns, contending with formidable foes and wary of precipitous descents until, at last, I laid eyes upon my first diamonds.
Elation consumed me, propelling me back to fashion a diamond sword and pickaxe.
Armed with these implements, I delved deeper into another cavern, uncovering yet more diamonds.
Returning home, I fashioned diamond accoutrements and ventured out once more.
Through perseverance, I amassed an entire ensemble of diamond armor, each piece imbuing me with a sense of triumph.
Then, alas, a lapse in caution led me to an encounter with molten lava.
In an instant, the fruits of my labor were nearly all lost, igniting a fiery fury within.
Recognizing the challenge of replenishing my diamond supply, having already exhausted nearby deposits, I pressed onward, seeking to glean the wisdom he intended to impart. Yet this time, I proceeded with heightened vigilance.
Upon rediscovering diamonds, the initial elation was tempered.
Even acquiring a full complement of diamond gear failed to evoke the same fervor as my initial triumphs.
Amused by my sentiments, he reassured me, “You’ll understand in time.”
And so, I redoubled my efforts, ultimately procuring my first diamond block.
Placing it ceremoniously marked a milestone, yet the ensuing sense of accomplishment was fleeting.
Navigating cavern after cavern, laying block after block, until the final placement.
I had accomplished the improbable.
An entire edifice fashioned from diamond.
Upon the culmination of this feat, as the excitement waned, I turned to the gentleman and inquired, “What now?”
To which he replied nonchalantly, “I cannot say. Inform me should you uncover the answer.”
A profound sense of aimlessness pervaded my being.
My purpose had dissolved.
So, what did I do?
I cast aside some diamonds into the searing embrace of lava.
Though wasteful, their utility had waned.
With no concrete objective remaining, my happiness dwindled, falling below the threshold of my initial state.
Those once-cherished diamonds now held no allure.
Their intrinsic nature remained unchanged; it was the absence of purpose that rendered them meaningless.
With no goal to strive toward, there was little incentive for further endeavors.
It was in this moment of realization that I comprehended.
This is the essence of wealth attainment.
The pursuit of goals, the exhilaration of progress, and the ascent toward one’s ultimate objective, encapsulated in those fleeting rushes of euphoria.
Yet, upon reaching the zenith and experiencing that final rush, it becomes an unattainable mirage, forever elusive.
Desperately seeking to recapture that sensation through novel experiences.
Acquiring a Ferrari.
Securing a grand estate.
Sailing upon a yacht.
It matters not.
For no matter the endeavor, those rushes shall never be rekindled.
Not even a semblance remains within reach.
The grandest paradox of wealth lies herein: true happiness does not lie in material wealth, but in the journey toward one’s aspirations, relishing each step along the path.
And thus, one embarks upon a lifelong quest to rediscover that initial rush.
If only for one final time.
At least, such was the lesson I believe he sought to impart.
