I’ve been sitting on this topic for two weeks now, mulling it over in my head, unsure where it would land. As I get older and reflect on my choices—the ones I made and the opportunities I missed—I find myself questioning why I made those decisions. What did I value at the time? It hit me: I often confused what’s valuable with what’s hard to get.
Today, I’m turning my scribbled thoughts into a two-minute read. It helped me, and I hope it helps you.
Just because something is rare or difficult to acquire doesn’t mean it’s truly valuable. This confusion drives us to chase limited editions, exclusive events, roles or projects seen as hard to get thinking they must be important. But this is often a myth.
Take diamonds. They’re seen as valuable because the market controls their rarity, not because they’re inherently precious. The real value often lies in the emotion we attach to them, not the item itself.
The same goes for many things in life: sold-out concert tickets, the must-have luxury item with a waiting list, or exclusive memberships. We believe these things are valuable simply because they’re hard to get. But is that true?
What’s truly valuable isn’t rare—it’s often abundant.
Things like trust, love, and kindness don’t have a limited supply, but they’re deeply valuable. They make life better, richer, more meaningful. Yet we often overlook them because they’re easy to access, unlike those rare, material things we’re told to chase.
So, how do we tell the difference?
Instead of asking, “Is this hard to get?” start asking, “Is this worth having?” Does it genuinely improve your life? Will it bring lasting satisfaction, or just temporary pleasure?
Real value isn’t about exclusivity. It’s about what brings long-term fulfillment and meaning. Chase that.
Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants
Sea's The Day 