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- DESIGNING YOUR PORTFOLIO OF "WEALTH"
In the first newsletter of this series, I introduced the idea that every leader runs on an operating system. Either you design it—or it designs you.
In a previous newsletter, I discussed that the first step is to identify your Optimal Self—the answer to the question “I want to be a person of…”.
Answering that question is what gives shape to the process I employ that helps me stay on track with the goals I have for my full personal operating system
As a reminder, I said that I want to be a person of:
PURPOSE AND MEANING
APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE
CONSISTENCY AND CONNECTION
PRESENCE AND DEPTH
These represent the higher target, the end goal, the desired person I hope to be
In this newsletter, I am going to back the lens out a bit more to explore the six categories of my self where I hope to find flourishing
To begin, I HIGHLY recommend you read Sahil Bloom’s excellent book: The 5 Types of Wealth: A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life (affiliate link)
In it, Bloom discuss that there is not just one way to think about wealth (money, riches, stuff) but actually five ways to think about it:
TIME WEALTH
SOCIAL WEALTH
MENTAL WEALTH
PHYSICAL WEALTH
FINANCIAL WEALTH
While most of us only tailor our lives toward financial wealth, Bloom invites us to pursue wealth in all of these areas as a way of reorienting the portfolio of our lives
Using Bloom’s template, I have created my own portfolio of wealth (what I call flourishing) within the following categories:
PHYSICAL
RELATIONAL
FINANCIAL
INTELLECTUAL
EMOTIONAL
SPIRITUAL
My Operating System helps me accrue wealth / flourishing in each of these six categories
Here is how I articulate the target of flourishing in each of these categories within my portfolio (I am going to spend an entire newsletter on each of these areas so this is just a wide angled overview):
PHYSICAL: I flourish when I honor my body with discipline, balance, and care so that I have the strength and vitality to live fully
RELATIONAL: I flourish when I cultivate authentic, grateful, and life-giving connections that bring depth and belonging
FINANCIAL: I flourish when I align my resources with mission, creating freedom for myself and transformation for others.
INTELLECTUAL: I flourish when I pursue curiosity and wisdom, sharpening my mind and expanding my perspective
EMOTIONAL: I flourish when I nurture resilience, gratitude, and joy, allowing positive emotions to shape my inner life
SPIRITUAL: I flourish when I deepen my faith and live with integrity, anchoring my life in meaning and transcendence
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
Here’s how you can apply this (after you have identified your Optimal Self from the previous newsletter):
Identify the major areas in which you want to flourish. What areas are important for you to hit the target of your Optimal Self? In what areas do you want to experience “wealth” and flourishing?
Do a portfolio audit on how things are currently going in those areas. Be honest with yourself so you know where the areas of “wealth” are and where the areas of growth are. It’s also ok to recognize that these areas will ebb and flow over time. Sometimes I feel “wealthy” in my relational portfolio and sometimes I feel that area is lacking
Begin to give intentionality to the rhythms of your life so that they point you towards the flourishing you seek in each of your core areas. Take ownership of the systems of your life by asking: What are the recurring actions, habits, and rituals that shape me? Most of us live in rhythms already—wake up, work, eat, scroll, sleep—but, without intentionality, those rhythms don’t necessarily move us toward the life we desire. Flourishing comes when we deliberately align our daily, weekly, and seasonal patterns with the kind of wealth we want to cultivate. (p.s. This is what we are going to do in the next newsletter)
Align Your Decisions With Your Portfolio Priorities
When faced with choices—whether career moves, commitments, or relationships—ask: Which type of wealth does this decision enhance, and which might it deplete? For example, a promotion may increase financial wealth but cost you time or physical health. By weighing decisions against your portfolio, you can choose opportunities that move you closer to your Optimal Self rather than away from it.Create Rhythms of Renewal
Instead of one-time fixes, build recurring rhythms that nourish each type of wealth. This could look like a weekly dinner with friends for social wealth, a daily walk for physical wealth, a monthly budget review for financial wealth, a quarterly retreat for mental wealth, or setting aside non-negotiable “sabbath hours” for time wealth. These rhythms ensure you’re consistently reinvesting in your flourishing portfolio rather than waiting for it to “balance out” on its own.
Once you’ve done your audit, set small, intentional practices for growth in each area.
If your time wealth feels depleted, experiment with reclaiming a block of time each week for rest or creativity. If your social wealth feels thin, reach out to a friend, join a community, or invest more deeply in one key relationship. If your mental wealth feels stretched, schedule time for reflection, learning, or journaling. If your physical wealth needs attention, commit to one small upgrade in movement, nutrition, or sleep. And with financial wealth, ask yourself not only how to grow your resources but how to align them with your values and freedom.
Remember, flourishing isn’t about achieving perfect balance in all five areas at once—it’s about tending to each with awareness.
Think of your wealth portfolio as a garden: some areas may be thriving while others need watering.
By revisiting your portfolio regularly, you’ll cultivate a more integrated and abundant life that supports your Optimal Self.
Next week, I will take this idea and break it down even further to unpack the ways in which I structure my daily and weekly rhythms to help me become “wealthy” and flourishing in each of these core areas
Until then, many blessings on your own journey
Scott
Want to get ahead of the curve?
If you’re ready to start building your own operating system right now, I’d love to guide you through it.
This is the work I do every day with school leaders—helping you design the habits and systems that allow you to thrive personally and professionally.
Everything I am sharing in this newsletter series is drawn out in more robust detail in the new resource for school leaders: The Flourishing School Leader’s Field Guide!
This 120+ page workbook unpacks in depth my own personal operating system and walks you through how to create yours…as well as other sections on:
Examining the Inner Landscape of a School Leader
Engaging Well-being and Meaning
Overcoming Burn Out
6 Dimensions of Flourishing Leadership
Implementing Radical Hospitality in Your School
Practical Ways to Create a Culture of Purpose and Meaning
And much, much more!
The Flourishing School Leader Field Guide is your essential guide to leading with vision, hope, and humanity—without losing yourself in the process.
What if you could step away from the ordinary, walk ancient paths, and rediscover your true rhythm—while building a community of deeply supportive peers?
Education is a sacred journey—a calling filled with both challenge and possibility.
Yet even the most inspired educators and school leaders need a place to pause, reflect, and be renewed.
That’s the heart of the RecenterED IRELAND School Leadership Cohort—a year-long experience that begins with a 6-day, 5-night pilgrimage through Ireland’s sacred landscapes followed up with coaching, connection, and intentional community support throughout the school year
How it works:
6 days in Ireland – A pilgrimage of rest, rhythm, and restoration.
Year-long community of practice – Six virtual peer coaching sessions over the academic year, plus individual coaching.
Tangible outcomes – Renewed purpose, clear strategy, and sustainable energy for leadership.
This isn’t just professional development.
It’s a pilgrimage—and a living community—that will sustain your soul, your vision, and your leadership
