07/23/2026
“The business of life is the acquisition of memories.”
I recently came across that quote, and it immediately reminded me of one of the biggest lessons from Die With Zero by Bill Perkins.
As someone who has spent much of my adult life focused on goals, growth, production, and financial success, this book challenged me to think differently about what wealth is actually for.
Recently, my family had the opportunity to spend time with extended family at the beach. We originally planned a shorter trip, but at the last minute we decided to stay a few extra days.
From a purely practical standpoint, it didn’t make much sense.
There was work waiting back home. Responsibilities. Costs associated with extending the trip.
But those extra days gave our kids the chance to spend more time playing in the sand, swimming in the ocean, chasing each other around the house, and building memories with their cousins.
Years from now, I won’t remember the emails that waited for me.
But I’ll remember watching Zion run toward the water with his cousins. I’ll remember family dinners, laughter, and seeing relationships deepen.
That’s what Die With Zero is really about.
Not spending recklessly.
Not abandoning financial discipline.
But recognizing that money is a tool designed to help us maximize life experiences at the moments when those experiences matter most.
One of my favorite concepts from the book is the idea of “memory dividends.”
The vacation ends.
The experience doesn’t.
You get to relive it through stories, photos, conversations, and the joy of remembering it for decades to come.
The older I get, the more I’m realizing that wealth accumulation and memory accumulation shouldn’t be competing goals.
The purpose of wealth is to create the freedom to invest in what matters most.
And sometimes, the highest-return investment isn’t found in the stock market.
Sometimes it’s a few extra days at the beach with family.
What memory have you invested in recently that paid a bigger dividend than you expected?
