4 min readDelhiNov 16, 2025 06:00 AM IST
First published on: Nov 16, 2025 at 06:00 AM IST
For Ankur Warikoo, wealth isn’t measured by his car, house, or bank balance. Instead, it’s about the choices he’s made. In a Facebook post, the entrepreneur shared how he was recently asked by an X user, “Tell me how rich you are without actually telling me,’ further sharing his reply as to how, over time, he has realised that the real goal in life isn’t just to earn money, but to use it to make choices — whether it is staying healthy, enjoying your favourite foods, or travelling the world.
But is money the ultimate pleasure? Delhi-based psychologist Dr Priyanka Bhosale said that people often confuse happiness with money. She said, “Many people spend their early years believing achievement equals identity. Applause feels like purpose, and validation appears to be the antidote to insecurity. But often, the realisation arrives quietly — after the promotion that doesn’t feel as fulfilling as expected, after the fatigue that no holiday can truly erase.”
Why do people end up equating happiness with money?
Bhosale further explained, “Early adulthood is driven by external markers of success, but midlife often brings a deeper awareness of emotional needs. People begin questioning not just what they are doing, but why.”
This is where transformation starts. Work is no longer about proving your worth, but about expressing it. The mind becomes gentler, ambition is more focused, and fulfilment takes the place of comparison. True success feels less like climbing and more like reaching a place where you are closer to yourself, your values, and your sense of inner alignment. That’s why the psychologist stressed it’s important to care for both your physical and mental well-being.
Ankur Waikoo talks about priortising right choices over money (Photo: Facebook/Ankur Warikoo)
How much can emotional and physical well-being contribute to our well-being?
Dr Priyanka explained that Warikoo’s mention of having a metabolic age younger than his real age starts an important conversation about how much the mind affects the body. She said, “The body undeniably ages with time, but it also responds to our emotional climate. When a person lives in a state of constant urgency — rushing, worrying, and performing — the nervous system remains in a state of alert. Cortisol spikes, sleep becomes fragmented, inflammation rises, and the body gradually loses its ability to repair itself.”
“Emotional stability acts like a protective layer for the body. When individuals feel safe, supported, and internally calm, their biological systems shift toward a state of healing rather than one of survival. Gratitude steadies heart rhythms, laughter resets breathing patterns, and contentment signals to the body that it can finally exhale.”
She added that research shows emotional well-being, strong relationships, and managing stress can slow down how our cells age. “In that sense, youthfulness is far less about appearance and far more about a nervous system that feels grounded in the present moment.”
So, how does one find the right balance of emotional and physical stability?
As Warikoo said, it’s about ‘making the right choices,’ said Dr Priyanka, adding, “he sees money as a way to gain freedom, not just to collect more — a view that is strongly supported by psychological science. Autonomy is key to mental well-being because it lets people live by their own values instead of following social pressure.”
“Autonomy gives people a sense of control over their lives,” Bhosale said. “When you feel you can choose your direction, your mind relaxes. You aren’t acting out of fear or obligation.”
Ankur Warikoo on making right choices (Photo: Instagram/ankurwarikoo) 
Ankur Waikoo talks about priortising right choices over money (Photo: Facebook/Ankur Warikoo)
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