Welcome to The Quiet Rich, your weekly email for a quiet mind and a rich life.
CONTEXT
I’m writing to you from a swaying boat off the coast of Capri. The air is rich with the scent of freshly-brewed espresso, and I’ve spent the past few days chit-chatting in Italian. My mom is here, too. ❤️ It’s one of the longest trips we’ve taken together in years.
And it’s all because of one thing I realized a while ago (that hasn’t left my mind since). If we’re lucky, we get 80 summers. But we don’t get 80 summers with all the people we love—particularly our parents.
Tim Urban explained this perfectly in the most important article I’ve ever read, called “The Tail End.” He ran a brutal calculation of how many times you'll probably see your parents as an adult.
Let’s say your parents are 68? Statistically, you’ll get 12 more summers with them.
12. That's it.
We schedule everything else in our lives with precision—meetings, deep work, workouts, even grocery runs. But somehow, the people who matter most get whatever time is "left over."
You don't need a big budget or a faraway trip to fix this! You simply need to stop waiting for "someday” when “things slow down.” (They never do.)
5 ways to make the most of Summer 2026:
METHOD
1. Protect time in your calendar
Open your calendar right now. Create a recurring time block for at least one of these:
- Sunday dinners (or video calls) with parents
- Weekly one-on-one time with your kids
- Monthly date nights with your partner
- Quarterly trips to see long-distance friends and family
We all know—if it's not in the calendar, it's probably not happening. Give your closest relationships the same respect you give your clients at work.
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2. Apply the "proximity principle"
We see people who live in our city 10x more than those who live a flight away. If you have any choice whatsoever in where you live, try to move closer to the people you love most.
Can't move? There are so many ways to get creative. One friend of mine books the first weekend every quarter to visit her parents. Another has a call with his brother during his walk home from work.
Physical distance might not be a choice. Emotional distance is.
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3. Choose your life partner wisely.
One of my non-negotiables in a partner? A willingness to be close with my family—especially my best friend of a mom. Find a person who protects your most important relationships instead of making you choose between them.
I wrote a LinkedIn post called 3 actionable tests to choose your life partner (and it went viral). The Traffic Test is my favorite.
And here are my 4 four traits of the modern power couple. (If you meet someone who does these four things, marry them immediately.)
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4. Practice "presence over presents"
Your parents don't need another expensive gift. They want you to come visit. Your kids don't need more toys. They want you to put your phone down.
If you ever feel frustrated with your kids or family members, imagine a future when they’re grown and you don’t get to see them often. I call this the “Back-In-Time Method” and many of you said this exercise was the most useful thing I’ve ever written.
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5. Don't let things go unsaid
"Despite not being at the end of your life, you may very well be nearing the end of your time with some of the most important people in your life." —Tim Urban
Make a list of three people you care deeply about. Next to each name, write one thing you've been meaning to tell them but haven't. Then pick up the phone.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
The most successful people I know are rich in much more than money. They're rich in relationships. They understand that time left together is the only currency that really matters.
You’re in the “good ol’ days” right now. Why not make the most of them?
Starting today, try one small thing:
- Call someone you love and haven’t chatted with in a while
- Hug your kids for 10 extra seconds before going to work
- Take your dog on the long route
- Tell your spouse something you haven't said in a while
If you want even more practical examples, I shared my four tiny, 1-minute habits that help you notice all the good, little parts of your day.
Your future self is counting on you. I’m wishing you a wonderful rest of the summer with your favorite people in the world.
All my love,
Jade
P.S. There’s one thing that made this Italian Summer possible for me: my personal brand. It’s already been 15 months since I left my career at Google and became a full-time coach and author. I’d love to help you create the same time and location freedom that I have.
So next week, I’m hosting a FREE MASTERCLASS. It’s on July 13th from 12-1pm EDT and I’d absolutely love to see you there. Ben Meer, Colby Kultgen and I are giving away our 7 best secrets to build a million-dollar LinkedIn profile so you can start attracting the opportunities of your dreams.
There’s only one week left to register. 500 people already claimed their free spot.
Can’t make it live? Register anyway for the recording. (But those who attend live will get 4 incredible bonuses from us worth hundreds of dollars.)
See you there, my friend. ☕️
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