Wealth isn’t just in your bank account. It’s in your relationships

September 1, 2026 — 1:03pm

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Right now, I’m in India, sitting in the humid heat of the last weeks of the monsoon.

I’ve spent most of my life in Australia and have only been back to India a handful of times. My last trip was over a decade ago. Yet, it all feels oddly familiar – from the chaotic roads where cows, rickshaws and cars somehow co-exist and the sprawling bazaars where haggling is an art form, to relatives who insist their home is your home even if you’re meeting for the first time.

Growing up in two cultures is an interesting experience. It makes you realise that so much of what we consider normal is not universal at all. Things that are ordinary in one culture are totally foreign in the other. This is also true for how we relate to wealth.

Often, we think of wealth as somewhat universal. After all, the core financial foundations are universally applicable – whether you’re in India or Africa, compound interest works the same way. But wealth is also deeply cultural. This doesn’t just change how you think and feel about wealth – it changes how you build it. Here are some examples of what I mean.

Individual versus collective

In Australia, we value independence and self-sufficiency. We encourage children to stand on their own as soon as possible – get a job, move out, create an independent life. The money you earn is yours – you earn it,........

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