The 5 Types of Wealth: A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life

Bloom shares the true story of a busy COO, Erik Newton, whose life was shaken when his wife was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer; she passed away soon after the birth of their first child. This tragedy made Erik realize that relationships are the most important part of life. His wife’s only regret was that she did not have more time to nurture her friendships and family relationships, and Erik decided that he would make his relationships a priority in his own life from then on.

Bloom introduces a thought experiment, asking people to imagine who would attend their own funeral. The people who come to mind are the people who really matter, and relationships with these people should therefore be nurtured as much as possible. In modern life, technology and other distractions can disconnect people from others, and Bloom advises consciously resisting this sense of disconnect.

Bloom cites anthropological and scientific evidence to show that humans belong to a very social species. Cultures across history have provided examples of how people can cooperate and care for each other. Bloom points to a decades-long Harvard study on health and life satisfaction that demonstrated the impact that relationships have on people’s lives.