Is your worth determined by having a good job with a good salary or by the car you drive? Or perhaps your identity is summed up by the iPhone you own? The real question is: when your name is mentioned, is it associated with your value as an individual or the possessions you have? Do people focus on your principles and values, or on your material belongings?

In my opinion, a person remains a person regardless of their material possessions. Goods do not diminish or increase your value; you are still a flesh-and-blood human being. That’s why I like the idea of treating everyone equally: the poor, the rich, luxury car owners, or those without material possessions—all of us possess the same value.

However, from a young age, we are taught the idea that we must achieve certain milestones to be someone in life. We are told to go to college, get a degree, secure a good job, or find a stable partner, believing that these achievements will make us significant. But the reality is different: from the moment we are born, we are already someone; we are already valuable beings. There is no need to seek anything to be special. I’m not saying we shouldn’t aspire to education or a job, but we should consider these things as preferences—simple complements. We shouldn’t feel unhappy for not attaining certain attributes, because, with or without them, we remain valuable beings.

"The true value of a person lies in their character, integrity, and how they treat others, not in what they materially possess"
-Anónimo-

Don’t let your ego take control; it will try to manipulate you. For instance, sometimes we want to show off our achievements to others to prove that we are superior, or at least that’s what we believe. Don’t allow your ego to drag you into competition. I understand that this can be difficult, as it is ingrained in our culture, and often we do it unconsciously.

Remember, the simple fact that you were born gives you value in life. Don’t strive to be someone; you already are. You can seek to improve, but don’t let that search overshadow your being. You are not your car, you are not your degree, you are not your job, you are not your iPhone, you are not the clothes you wear. You are something much more significant than all those things: you are a human being, a person who breathes life. Remember that you are already complete; you don’t need anything because needing implies dependence. Instead of needing, you simply prefer to live more comfortably.

In a world that values the material, it is essential to remember that our worth is not measured by possessions. From the moment we are born, we are valuable beings. Improving ourselves is valid, but it does not define our worth. We are not what we have; we are how we treat others. Our true wealth lies in our essence and in how we live authentically, beyond possessions.