Life Is Like a Wheel
Six spokes. Keep them all strong, and the ride stays smooth.
By CA. Atul Kela | Founder, AK Investments
A wheel moves well only when all its spokes are strong. If one spoke is weak, the wheel still turns, but it shakes. If two are weak, the ride becomes rough. Most of us notice this too late.
I look at life as a wheel with six spokes. It is a simple check I run every few months. It shows me where I am doing well, and where I can put in a little more effort.
- Family
This spoke needs time, and time never comes back. Work can be shifted to another day. A child growing up cannot wait. Parents getting older cannot wait. At home, nobody cares about your title. That is a good thing to be reminded of every day.
- Money
Money is not the point of life. It is the oil that keeps the wheel moving. When money is in order, you stop thinking about it. When it is not, you think about nothing else, and it slowly damages the other five spokes. The rules are simple. Spend less than you earn. Take insurance for what you cannot afford to lose. Invest regularly, not cleverly.
- Health
We keep pushing health to later, because the body gives no warning until the warning is serious. Sleep well. Move daily. Eat properly. Get a check-up once a year. Knowing this is easy. Doing it on a day when you feel fine is the hard part.
- Mind
Knowledge is what you collect. Wisdom is knowing what to use, and when to keep quiet. Reading gives you the first. Mistakes, thinking time and honest people around you give you the second.
- Society
Giving back is not something you do once a year. It shows in how you treat people who can do nothing for you. Your staff, your vendors, your neighbours. Give time where you can. Give money where you cannot.
- Values
I do not mean rituals, though they can help. I mean your value system. What you do when no one is watching and nobody will ever find out. Being honest is easy in a good year. It gets tested in a bad one. That is the real test.
Keeping the wheel round
Balance does not mean equal time every day. Some weeks belong to work. Some months belong to family. That is fine. What helps is a regular check, say once a month, to see how each spoke is doing.
Also remember, the spokes are joined. Good health lifts your work. Money in order keeps the home calm. Strong values protect both your relationships and your money.
So make it a habit. Look at all six, pick the one that needs you most right now, and give it your attention this month. You usually know the answer before you finish asking.