Luke Van Der Veer | Are You Optimizing For Freedom?

A billionaire sits in a golden office atop a skyscraper. Every resource at his fingertips. But he’s trapped.

Did he optimize for money or freedom?

It's not a black and white question.

"Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants." That’s Epictetus, dropping ancient wisdom like breadcrumbs leading us out of a maze.

The startup culture glorifies the hustle. More hours, more money, more everything.

Freedom isn’t the offspring of money. It’s a separate entity.

Entrepreneurs often mistake financial wealth as the golden ticket to freedom.

It’s not.

In the clamor of raising capitals and increasing valuations, The silent whispers of freedom often go unheard.

In the matrix of profit and loss, numbers and data, Excel sheets and PowerPoint slides, there’s a human - yearning not just for wealth, but something more intangible, more liberating.

Freedom.

In the algorithm of life, freedom and money aren’t always directly proportional.

They can be, but it requires intention, not accident.

So, each morning as the sun kisses the world awake, and you plunge into emails, meetings, and the hustle - ask yourself:

Am I optimizing for money or freedom?

Because in the silent echoes of your choices, in the quiet lullabies of your actions, the answer isn’t just heard.

It’s lived.

As you carve your path in the entrepreneurial journey, remember - the golden chains of wealth can be just as binding as the rusted chains of poverty.

In the end, the billionaire in the golden office and the artist with a golden sunset have one thing in common - a choice.

What are you optimizing for?

Make sure when you answer, it’s not just your bank account responding, but your soul nodding in agreement. In this dance of dollars and dreams, ensure it’s not just wealth you’re accumulating but freedom you’re experiencing.

Because at the twilight of existence, it won’t be the money but the moments of unrestrained freedom that will echo the richest melodies of your life.