Recommended Read: The Wise Investor
Mentorship is something that I have sought out my entire life. Most often, I seek and find people who are experts in their craft or their area(s) of influence and do my best to metaphorically “sit at their feet.” Sometimes this means reading their books on personal finance, listening to their podcast relating to a new fitness regime, or following them on social media to capture the quotes from ancient philosophers they share. It is often a one way relationship, meaning I am a consumer, and it is most often limited to their area of expertise.
But on occasion, I meet people like Rich Fettke. We connected around eight years ago after I joined CrossFit Malibu, where Rich had been working out for a few years. I instantly knew Rich was unique. He was a hard charger in the gym, often pushing himself to the point of ending up in a sweat puddle on the floor. He had recently installed a blackout package to his Porsche Cayenne Turbo (if you know me, you know it’s #allblackeverything). He spoke of starting his day in meditation, followed by a paddleboard session, and often ending it with a mountain bike ride. And then he introduced me to his wife Kathy, with whom he shared many of these pursuits. At the time, he and Kathy were living in an apartment on the beach in Malibu. If you know anything about Malibu real estate, you know that paying rent at an apartment on the beach is the equivalent of a mortgage on a mansion in Texas. But when discussing this choice, Rich clearly articulated that their location was an intentional choice based on the high value they both place on spending time in the ocean. I instantly respected him for his physical pursuits, but also his willingness to live a life based on his values, even when they at times differed from the mainstream or “conventional wisdom.” Since the early days of meeting Rich, I’ve come to recognize he is anything but conventional.
Maybe most interesting about Rich is the fact that he is interested. When you meet Rich, he is interested in you. He’s interested in your life. Your habits and practices. The things that bring you joy. In some of our early conversations over coffee after CrossFit workouts, I was struck by how often he asked me about my life, all while I knew he had built a successful career out of people paying him to ask him about his life. I consider Rich a wise mentor in many areas of life and am thankful to call him a friend as well.
A few months ago, Rich asked me to give him some feedback on a new book he was writing: The Wise Investor. At a surface level, the book is about personal finance, but the lessons contained within expand beyond where to invest money and instead serve as a pathway for seeking mentorship, clarifying values, and exploring what it means to live life on your own terms. That book has now been released as an eBook, where it has been a daily bestseller, and the hardcover edition is available on pre-order through Amazon.
In Rich's words: "In writing The Wise Investor, I dedicated myself to creating a story that would inspire and educate — and help you believe that you can live life on your own terms. Real wealth is having the money and the freedom to do what you want, when you want, with the people you want to be with. Each of us has the power to secure financial freedom by believing in what is possible in our lives and taking action to achieve it. If you agree… your transformation has already started."
Congrats, Rich, on the launch of your new book. Thank you for sharing your self and your wisdom with the world, and most importantly, thank you for sharing it with me.
