The Triforce Of Wealth

After two years of begging, I finally received a classic Nintendo NES Game Console from Santa in the sixth grade. One of the original video games for the system was the masterpiece, The Legend of Zelda. The Zelda franchise is an enduring global video game phenomenon enjoyed by gamers worldwide. To date, Nintendo has produced 18 titles in the series for its various consoles.

A recurring storyline in the series revolves around the Triforce, which is made up of three singular golden triangles called the Triforce of Power, the Triforce of Wisdom, and the Triforce of Courage.

The protagonist of the series, Link, goes on journeys to retrieve the pieces of the Triforce from various bad guys and hiding places and goes on to save Princess Zelda.

When all three pieces of the Triforce are combined, they create an inadvertent triangle in the middle. If an individual acquires all three pieces of the Triforce and assembles them, that person (good or evil) will be granted any wish they desire for the remainder of their life.

So long as they keep all three Triforces together.

The Triforce of Wealth

It’s often said that building wealth is simple, but not easy. Most of us intuitively know and understand the keys to building wealth because they are simple. But we struggle to implement them in our lives.

Three singular Triforces must be assembled to create the Triforce of Wealth, if you will, to be truly wealthy.

• Earn More – The Triforce of Power
• Spend Less – The Triforce of Wisdom
• Invest the Surplus – The Triforce of Courage

No one Triforce is self-sustaining. Like a three-legged stool, all three must remain intact to achieve financial wellness, happiness, and everlasting wealth.

Earn More – The Triforce of Power

He or she who possesses the Triforce of Power (the ability to earn a high income), shall be granted an unlimited amount of mystical power. This holds true in society, as those with high incomes can purchase material objects that mystify their neighbors and colleagues. This power is unlimited for as long as the Triforce of Power remains in possession.

But with great power comes great responsibility. Danger is possible if the Triforce of Power falls into the lap of evil.

The Triforce of Power alone does not make the powerful complete.

Spend Less – The Triforce of Wisdom

He or she who possesses the Triforce of Wisdom (judicious frugality), is also granted special powers. These powers include the ability to see one’s future (of prosperity), and mastery of using penetrating vision to identify the foolish spending behaviors of mortals.

More importantly, those who have obtained the Triforce of Wisdom spend their gold on necessities and objects that bring them joy and comradery, not on articles and gadgetry meant to exhibit opulence.

But the wisdom of eternal frugality alone is not enough to bestow wealth and happiness upon a worthy saver.

Invest The Surplus – The Triforce of Courage

He or she who possesses the Triforce of Courage (to steadfastly invest undeterred by external forces) displays confidence and unflappable persistence in times of prosperity and despair. They fear not fluctuations in economic conditions and never heed the advice of unproven philosophers or practice the witchcraft of deviants.

Those who demonstrate acumen and sound judgment over long periods of time, even in the face of dragons and talking heads (and bloggers), shall prevail. The unwise shall fail.

But the Triforce of Courage alone cannot satisfy the heartfelt intentions of pursuers of wealth.

The Assembled Triforce of Wealth

Those who obtain all three Triforces will be granted as many wishes as they desire until they die. So long as they retain the assembled Triforce of Wealth.

The assembled Triforce of Wealth requires balance and resistance to temptation, but also occasional extravagance. The Triforce of Wealth rewards generosity and nobleness, yet punishes ignorance, greed, and pomposity.

Those who overindulge the Triforce of Power will forget the wisdom of frugality and become careless with their surplus.

Over-reliance on the Triforce of Wisdom may cause one to forget the importance of income, and lead to uninspired courage when one should be investing with fortitude.

And Triforce of Courage may severely punish the arrogant and overconfident investor. It becomes weak when it lacks a sound foundation of income and cash flow fostered by the preceding two Triforces.

It’s the zen-like balance of the assembled three Triforces which makes a man or woman truly wealthy by way of financial wellness, happiness and contentment, and the ability to bestow peace and good deeds upon others.

Earn more. Spend less. Invest the surplus. Then rescue the Princess.

Craig Stephens

Craig is a former IT professional who left his 19-year career to be a full-time finance writer. A DIY investor since 1995, he started Retire Before Dad in 2013 as a creative outlet to share his investment portfolios. Craig studied Finance at Michigan State University and lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and three children. Read more.