From biscuits to breakthroughs: how I traded wealth for wisdom

Exploring the shift from chasing wealth to finding freedom through vibe working and a new mindset

Society teaches us that money equals success. From an early age, I absorbed this message, despite growing up in a fairly affluent family. By age 11, I was already displaying entrepreneurial tendencies, hoarding snacks at boarding school to sell to desperate classmates days before our next allocation—sometimes at 100 percent interest. "Give me one packet of biscuits today, and you'll owe me two next week." My path to financial success seemed predetermined.

But somewhere along the journey, I experienced a profound shift in perspective. I realised that money is merely a means to an end, not the end itself. This awakening allowed my focus to move from chasing wealth to pursuing something higher: meaningful work, creating impact, and contributing to society. These elements transformed from luxuries only accessible to the wealthy into necessities as vital as survival itself.

This transition didn't happen overnight. For years, I optimised for earnings, measuring success by income and status. The turning point came in 2017 when I took on a consulting role that required only two days of my week. Those two days were chockablock with meetings and calls—productive but exhausting.

One rare sunny day in London, after dropping my son at nursery, I sat by the river with no intention to work. In that unstructured moment, I experienced an unexpected breakthrough—a clarifying thought that resolved a complex problem I'd been wrestling with for weeks. It was similar to those shower epiphanies we all have, but without needing to waste water.

What I'd stumbled upon was the power of unstructured thinking time—an essential ingredient that my money-chasing lifestyle had squeezed out of my calendar.

Discovering vibe working

Yesterday, while sitting on a park bench with a friend watching our children play in a nearby wood, I tried to articulate how I'd arrived at my current approach to work. Later that day, I came across my friend Evgeny's note about "vibe working," and it crystallised what I'd been practising intuitively for years.

Vibe working is a flexible, energy-driven approach that prioritises autonomy, creativity, and comfort over rigid schedules and structures. It allows you to work when you feel most productive, often in relaxed environments with casual collaboration and minimal pressure. This style blends work and personal interests, emphasising output over hours logged.

Most importantly, vibe working creates the space for deep thinking—something our conventional work environments rarely accommodate.

Implementing vibe working in your life

If you're intrigued by this approach, here are practical steps to begin shifting your relationship with work and money:

1. Identify your energy patterns: notice when you naturally feel most creative and productive. Structure important work during these periods rather than forcing productivity at prescribed times.

2. Create thinking spaces: deliberately schedule unstructured time in environments that stimulate your thinking. For me, it's sitting by the river or in a green space (especially in the sun); for you, it might be a morning walk or a quiet coffee shop.

3. Redefine success metrics: move beyond financial measures. What impact do you want to have? What relationships matter most? What experiences do you value? Let these guide your decisions.

4. Start small: you can't overhaul your entire work structure. Begin with small pockets of vibe working—perhaps a morning per week where you work from a location that inspires you, without rigid expectations.

5. Examine your money mindset: ask yourself honestly what "enough" looks like for you. Many of us chase ever-increasing wealth without questioning why or defining our endpoint.

6. Consider reduced hours: if you're in full-time employment, explore going down to 80 or 90 percent of your hours (depending on what you can afford). Use that time for unstructured thinking. While it might seem counterintuitive to earn less, this investment in thinking space will more than pay for itself in the long run through better decisions, creative solutions, and increased well-being.

The real luxury

The true luxury in modern life isn't accumulating wealth; it's having the freedom to think deeply, work meaningfully, and align your daily activities with your values. While financial stability remains important, viewing money as a tool rather than a goal opens possibilities that no amount of wealth alone can provide.

As I watched my children play yesterday, I reflected on how different my relationship with work and money is now compared to my biscuit-hoarding days. The park bench revelation wasn't just about flexible working—it represented a fundamental shift in consciousness that has brought me more fulfilment than any bank balance could.

What would your life look like if you prioritised meaning over money and vibes over rigid structure? The answer might just transform your tomorrow.

Vibe working isn't about abandoning financial responsibility; it's about recognising that money alone can't fulfil our deepest aspirations. By carving out unstructured time, aligning work with personal rhythms, and challenging long-held beliefs about wealth, we tap into a wellspring of creativity and authenticity that transforms both our careers and our lives. In the end, redefining success as impact, relationships, and well-being allows us to reclaim our energy, discover our true values, and build a future where work—and life—feel genuinely meaningful.

With gratitude,
Arunjay.

PS: If you’ve read my book, Generation Hope: How Inclusive Economics Can Help Us All Thrive — will you please write a review?