What are the Most Valuable Things in the World?

What are the most valuable things in the world?  

Last week, as I sank myself into the incredibly comfortable seat of a beautiful red Lamborghini Huracan and smelled the Italian leather, I pondered this question.  

As I fired up the engine, the power of the 10-cylinder, 580-horsepower engine was almost deafening, the power irrefutable. As I took the car to the track, its agility was shocking and its speed exhilarating.  

At 190 miles per hour, the auto gripped the track with stunning surety and instilled confidence in its driver that this was home. This is what it was meant to do.  

As I finished my final lap and pulled into the pit, I was able to witness all three of my boys live this very same experience themselves. Each, of course, had chosen their own Lamborghini. These were truly some of the most valuable automobiles in the world.

Later on that same day, our search continued for the most valuable things in the world.  

My boys, having contracted my affliction for fine watches, decided it was time to window shop for some of the world’s most exquisite. I will emphasize the words “window shop,” but if you don’t dream big, you’ll never get what you want.  

We found some of my favorite brands – Rolex, Omega, Tag Heuer, Ball and Hublot – some of which I am proud to own, but then there were the extremely valuable watches like Richard Mille, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. Their price tags, well into the millions, were far beyond the budget and probably even the desire of this dirt farmer.  

There is no doubt these are some of the most valuable things in the world.  

As we strolled down the street, there were buildings, theaters and monuments, all with some of the most incredible architecture, each unique but fabulous in their own way. Some were what seemed to be miles high, others were covered in crystal-clear glass, while some represented an era or a moment in time, representing its own historical significance.  

Their magnificence was undisputable and their grandeur undeniable. Surely, these were some of the most valuable things in the world.

As we enjoyed each other’s company that evening, it was a great time to reflect on all we had done and all we had experienced. On this short day, we truly witnessed some of the most valuable things in the world.  

Valuable, that is, if money and things are what you consider to be valuable.  

“What is valuable?” I asked my boys. “And just because it is valuable, does it have value?”  

There was a pause of introspection.  It’s fun to see and do amazing things, but if we only see extrinsic things as valuable, where does it leave us as people? If we buy and do certain things because it makes us feel valuable, then our perspective is wrong and there is no value.  

Our value, I suggested, is in who each one of us is as a person. If we value our body, we should not seek to harm it or defile it and we should not engage in activities which would jeopardize this.  

If we value our health, we should seek practices to help to protect it. 

If we value our minds, we should not subject ourselves to people or things which negatively affect it.  

If we value our soul, we should nurture it.  

If we value relationships, we should embrace them.  

If we value our family, we should show them.  

If we value our friends, we should tell them.  

If we value love, we should share it.  

And if we value time, we should never waste it.  

When we value the intrinsic things in life – meaning the things which are truly essential to our own well-being – then our contribution to this world and to others becomes valuable, not because of what we have, but because of who we are.   

Our world is confused, and it is overtaken by stimulants distracting us from discovering our value. It could be any number of things – our phones, our habits, our vices or our jobs. 

Often, what we need isn’t more things or more commitments, but rather, a chance to peel away from everyday life to race some crazy sports cars to bring into perspective what’s really the most valuable – time together. Time to laugh. Time to dream. Time to explore. And time to truly live, every moment of every day.