I dreamed last night.  It was unusual in brevity, in technicolor and in dynamism.  I was supervising the moving of a rather large, antique, turquoise finished wooden cabinet.  The beautiful cabinet was suspended by a sling, and a stout steel cable.  In my dream, something happened to the cable, the antique piece of furniture hurdles to the ground, splintering in pieces upon impact.

Among the shortest dreams that I can recall having, this was one of the more violent.  Interpretation of dreams is never exact.  At best one can derive a general sense of meaning, and nothing more.  A dream is always about the dreamer.  What do I fear, and what do I desire, though not consciously, but felt at a deep structural place in my psyche?  That’s the habitation of demons and the angels, messengers of the arc of our lives linked to our parents, and further back, to unknown ancestors…

What do I fear?  I fear the way of life, that I have known since a child, the American middle class way of life; sufficiency of food, ample shelter, a intellectual foundation of culture received from teachers that care,  and yes, medical care when it is needed, etc. will end.  I think that you know what is meant by a middle-class-way-of-life.  Those of us not privileged by birth, having grown up on the “wrong side of the tracks” have a clear conception of “middle class” even if the idea is a bare abstraction.  I fear this desideratum will go away at warp speed, smashed by a concatenation of weather events, or by the ineptitude of politics, or by a groaning supply chain that fails at an exponential rate, or by a population failing to work cooperatively each believing that he/she is special (exceptional)…

Our middle class way of life, is like a valuable antique, refinished in a striking turquoise shade of green, — desirable, and fragile and precarious.

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These words of wisdom are taken from professor Scott Galloway’s newsletter.  Galloway is a professor of marketing at New York University Stern School of Business.

Since 1989, people under the age of 40 have seen their share of the nation’s wealth plummet from 19 percent to nine percent. For the first time in U.S. history, young people are no longer better off (economically) than their parents were at the same age…  Fading economic opportunity and mobility is a disease, the symptoms of which are shame, frustration, and rage.

My observation is that there are four factors in the algebra of wealth: focus, stoicism, time, and diversification.

Focus on your relationships. Family and friends are essential to long term happiness, and the most important relationship is your spouse. The most impactful economic decision you make will be who you decide to partner with or, more specifically, who you decide to have kids with. Married people grow their net worth 77 percent more than single people. Marry the right person, and then invest in that relationship every day. You’ve wagered 50 percent-plus of your net worth, and value in the marketplace, on that partnership. Don’t keep score, and bring forgiveness, generosity, and engagement. In sum, show up.

Stoicism is not just about being stoic in the face of temptation. It means having good character. Succeeding in life is much easier if other people want you to succeed. We have a mental cartoon image of rich people as grasping and cruel. The reality, in my experience, is that wealthy people, in general, demonstrate strength, acumen and … kindness. Economic security is in the agency of others and you want others to want you to win.

Are we headed for another revolution? I don’t know, but we are due for another righteous movement. What you do in the face of a system that profits off you becoming overweight, indebted, divided, and addicted? Answer: Rebel.

Focus on what matters. Be a Stoic in the face of temptation. Use Time to your advantage. Diversify your investments.

In any economic climate, how do we build economic security, foster love, and find joy? How do we get rich? 

Slowly.

And thus ends the lesson.  To read Prof G’s entire newsletter, The Algebra of Wealth, CLICK HERE.