The Asymmetry of Greatness

There’s a video I want to share with you. It’s not a flashy TED Talk or a perfectly produced reel—it’s a quiet moment from a private call Sahil Bloom had with my Daily Coach community, as he was launching his book, The Five Types of Wealth.

In it, he says something that genuinely made me pause. He’s talking about how he makes decisions these days, and he shares this simple statement:

“I’m the type of person who coaches his son’s little league team.”

That’s his razor—his personal filter for what he says yes or no to.

And honestly? It hit me right in the chest.

Because I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the asymmetrical nature of success.

We all know the stories. The all-time greats, the legends, the people we revere—whether they’re athletes, entrepreneurs, or artists. We hear them speak at Hall of Fame ceremonies or in interviews, and eventually, they all say some version of the same thing:

“I missed a lot.”

They were extraordinary at one thing. But they often had to give up almost everything else to get there.

Time with family. Friendships. Health. Peace of mind.

It’s not just them, though.

Most of us aren’t chasing world records or championship rings—but we still make those quiet trades. We stay late. We keep our phones on at dinner. We delay the vacation, the workout, the weekend off, telling ourselves we’ll catch up “after this one big push.”

We don’t really talk about what it costs. We just normalize it.

It becomes background noise.

That’s what I loved about what Sahil shared.

His book invites us to zoom out and ask: What does it actually mean to have a wealthy life?

Not in the traditional sense—though financial stability is critical.

But in a fuller, richer, more human way.

A life where you feel good in your body. A life with people you love and time to actually be with them. A life where your work energizes you instead of draining you dry. A life that feels like yours.

And maybe the hardest part is just being honest with ourselves about what we’re giving up.

Not in a guilt-trip kind of way. But just to name it. To look it in the eye.

So here’s a small prompt that’s helped me lately:

Write down what you’re giving up right now to maintain your current pace or path. Say it out loud. Make it real. And then ask yourself—is this trade actually worth it?

For Sahil, the razor is “I coach my son’s little league team.”

For me, it’s this:

“I am the type of person who is where his feet are.”

When I’m with people I love, I want to be with them—not halfway in my inbox. When I’m out in nature, I want to feel the moment. If I’m with my kiddo, I’m not thinking about Slack. If I’m at the gym, I’m not mentally rewriting emails. And when I'm at work I want to give my all and live in flow.

That’s my wealth. Presence.

So I’ll ask you: What does a wealthy life look like for you? And what are you willing to give up to get there?

Take five quiet minutes today. No noise, no screens. Just sit with the question: What kind of wealth actually matters to me?

If your answer is “I’m not sure yet,” that’s okay. That’s the door opening.

- AF