Stop the Chase and Start Living Your Life
By Ali Ansari
As the calendar turns, most of us are busy writing lists of what we want to change, acquire, or achieve. We tell ourselves that 2026 is the year we finally earn enough to be happy. But what if the best resolution you could make isn’t to chase a bigger pay-check, but to audit the life you already own?
Imagine this: You wake up on January 1st and find $100 million in your account.
You buy the house, the cars, the gadgets, the boat, and every luxury brand you ever wanted but couldn’t quite justify before. Then, one morning, you wake up and realize… there’s nothing left to buy. No bills to worry about. No job to hold onto. No goals that hinge on money.
So, what’s next?
- What would a typical week look like?
- Who would you spend it with?
- What would you choose to work on, if work was optional?
This question is more revealing than it seems. It strips away excuses and exposes what truly matters. Because if your first instinct is, “I’d invest it to make more money,” you might be stuck in the same loop most of us live in: the endless chase for more.
“If your goal with $100 million is to make it to the billionaire’s club, then money was never your problem.”
When the Chase Stops
A few years ago, I asked myself that exact question, and the answers changed everything. I realized that there is no shame in wanting the comforts of wealth; the danger is simply believing those comforts are the source of your light, rather than just the fancy lampshade.
Now, I spend far more time with my family. I meet my friends regularly. I try to help people whenever I can. I spend my time doing what I genuinely enjoy, not what’s fashionable or expected. The music, these articles, and my entrepreneurial spirit; none of these would exist if I were still chasing a number.
“You don’t need more money to change your life; you need more clarity about what makes it worth living.”
Expanding the “More”
The biggest realization? It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You don’t need to quit your job tomorrow to begin.
- The Wealth of Presence: We spend our lives building a gallery of future moments, forgetting that the lights are already on in the room where we stand.
- The Micro-Adventure: If the goal is a $100 million lifestyle of freedom, start by reclaiming your Tuesday afternoon. A walk without a phone costs nothing, yet it is the very currency of a life well-lived.
- The Myth of “Arrival”: We treat happiness like a trophy to be won, when it is actually a muscle to be trained. If you cannot find peace in a quiet cup of coffee today, a mansion will only provide a louder place to be restless.
- Audit Your “Now”: The Ferrari is often just a symbol for excitement; the mansion a symbol for security. You can ignite excitement with a new hobby and build security through deeper community ties right where you are.
This realization will help you align your days with what truly matters… now.
Three Things That Make a Life Rich
When the noise of the “chase” fades, you’ll find that a meaningful life is built on three pillars:
- Growth: Evolution isnot just biological; it is spiritual and intellectual. To learn, to adapt, and to become wiser than the version of you from yesterday is the highest form of wealth.
“Growth is life reminding you that comfort isn’t your purpose.”
- Contribution: Meaning is not found in what you collect, but in what you create and give. Build something. Share ideas. Help others.
“Legacy isn’t built from what you own; it’s built from who you’ve helped.”
- Experiences: Life is not a rehearsal. Play with your gifts, nurture your relationships, and live your blessings fully.
“The richest moments rarely cost anything; they just require your presence”.
Start Where You Are
Retiring from the chase isn’t the end of effort; it’s the beginning of the real work: discovering who you are when no one is paying you to be someone else.
If you can’t reclaim your whole week yet, reclaim the first ten minutes of your morning. Don’t check your emails; check in with your soul. That is a $100 million luxury you can afford right now.
Make your list. What would you do with $100 million? Look at the essence of those dreams… Adventure? Connection? Joy? Love?… and ask yourself:
“How can I start living 5% of that today?”
Most people don’t need more; they just need to start living the “more” they already have.
This year, don’t just resolve to work harder for a future that hasn’t arrived. Resolve to inhabit the life that is already here.
2026 isn’t about the chase; it’s about the clarity.
So, what would your life look like if the chase ended today? Start there.
