Almost forgot this was the whole point

A year ago, my family and I booked a trip to Hawaii.

We originally looked at staying for 2 weeks.

But when we checked prices for a full month, it wasn't much more expensive.

So we did it.

We booked a full month on the North Shore of Oahu.

Beachfront house.

Private lawn.

Ocean a few steps away.

My wife, our kids, my sister, her husband, their kids… eight of us total.

Every day was incredible:

• Morning surf sessions

• Snorkeling with turtles

• Beach games with the kids

• Fresh, island food

• Hiking through lush mountains

• Late-night card games and laugh-until-you-cry moments

We even visited the Polynesian Cultural Center and gorged ourselves at the buffet while learning about different cultures.

It was the kind of trip you dream about—and then talk about for years.

And it hit me hard:

All the money I’ve ever made… all the business wins…

This is what it’s for.

We created countless memories together.

And it made me realize something profound:

Experiences matter more than money.

Everyone talks about investing for retirement.

Stacking cash.

Building wealth for "someday."

But lately I've been reading this book called "Die with Zero" by Bill Perkins, and it's completely shifted my perspective.

You can actually INVEST IN EXPERIENCES.

And unlike stocks or real estate, these experiences pay dividends for decades in the form of:

• Stories to tell

• Stronger relationships

• A sense of meaning

• Personal growth

• Memories that last a lifetime

Material possessions or money sitting in an account simply don't provide these same benefits.

As entrepreneurs and business owners, we're especially guilty of this.

We default to:

Work. Work. Work.

Save. Save. Save.

Stack cash.

But what's the point of having all the money in the world if you don't DO anything with it?

Here's the thing:

Life doesn't just spontaneously generate amazing memories.

You have to DESIGN them.

Just like you schedule your work and plan your business growth, you need to intentionally design the experiences and memories you want to create.

This means planning activities with your kids, your family, and the people you love.

Because at the end of the day, those relationships and memories are what you take with you.

Money?

You can't take that with you when you're 6 feet under.

It's all about creating memories.

The formula for an extraordinary life is actually pretty simple:

The more FREQUENTLY you have good experiences and the more INTENSE those experiences are, the more fulfilling your life becomes.

We can choose to create more intensely positive experiences.

We can schedule them to happen more frequently.

When we put thought and focus into this, we make our lives progressively more amazing.

Yet most business owners miss this completely.

They grind away, building wealth, without asking the most important question:

How well can you use the money you make to upgrade your life?

Money is just a tool.

How can you best utilize that tool to make your life better?

As Bill Perkins points out, too many of us live in fear, worrying about saving too much instead of actually LIVING.

It reminds me of what Maya Angelou said:

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

We can be intentional about creating more of those breathtaking moments.

It's not about living to be 120 years old while sitting in your house most of your life.

It's about creating memories, helping others, connecting deeply, and crafting a wonderful life filled with experiences, service, and stories.

When you're old, money sitting in your bank account won't matter much.

Instead, you will cherish memories and relationships.

This newsletter has one purpose:

To encourage you to be more intentional about the life experience you're creating so you can BECOME THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF.

Through experience design and deliberate life planning, you can improve your life, enjoy it more, and help others enjoy their lives while creating memories and growth.

So I'll leave you with this question:

What awesome life experience do you want to invest in next?

Let me know,

-Zack