Recently, I was given a copy of the book, The Wealth Cure: Putting Money In Its Place, by Hill Harper to read. You probably recognize Hill Harper and his picture on the cover of the book. He is one of the lead actors on the television show, CSI: NY.
Initially, when I saw the book, I was very curious to find out what Mr. Harper had to say about finances, but I quickly found out that he is quite an accomplished man off the silver screen too.
Not only has Hill Harper written three other New York Times bestsellers, he is also a graduate of Brown University where he earned his undergraduate degree, but he also holds a Masters Degree from the Kennedy School of Government and his law degree from Harvard Law School.
So, you may be asking, with all of those accolades, why Harper would write a book about personal finance. It is rather quite fundamental. He was curious about the subject, and as many people know, one of the best ways to learn is to teach. And, that is where The Wealth Cure by Hill Harper started to take its shape. What is unique about this book is the twists and turns that it took Hill Harper right before he started and during the writing of The Wealth Cure.
Hill Harper was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. It was during this time in his life that he started reexamining his own life. And, of course, finances and how we all interact with our money was at the top of the list to be examined.
The Sections Of The Wealth Cure By Hill Harper
The Wealth Cure is cleverly broken down into five main sections that mirror up nicely towards how someone not only fights a potentially deadly disease but also how you can tackle many of life’s problems…money problems included.
Part One – The Diagnosis
The Wealth Cure starts out with Harper Hill’s story. Not only does it chronicle how he found out he had thyroid cancer, but it also shows why he started thinking about writing a book about people’s finances in the first place. He was disillusioned by how he has seen money being spent and the negative affect it can have one people.
Part Two – Treatment Options
The second section of The Wealth Cure continues Hill’s story and ultimately begins to discuss personal finance topics. Budgeting is discussed and a framework for financial success starts to take place.
Part Three – Compliance: Sticking With A Treatment Plan
Now you start to get into the meat of the personal finance topics with this section of the book. Harper Hill discusses things such as credit card debt, your credit score, purchasing a house, and buying a car.
Part Four – Maintaining Your Health And Wealth
Part Four of The Wealth Cure diverts from traditional personal finance books that you may be used to reading, and that is what makes Harper Hill’s book so great and unique. This section is filled full of interesting stories and advice that will not only make your wallet happier, but it will also make you happier as a person.
There is a theme running throughout the book that happiness, energy, and passion ultimately drive you to become wealthy. One of my favorite anecdote from Hill’s book actually has to do more with happiness in your career than personal finance per se.
Harper Hill has a “taxicab theory” that I just thought was a great analogy. To paraphrase him from the book, he said that you cannot just stand on the curb waiting for a taxi to show up to give you a ride. You have to step out into the street, raise your hand high, and get the driver’s attention to get a ride. Hill says that you have to, “hail happiness”.
Great things do not just happen to great people. You don’t just land a great job or retire early by wishing it to happen. You have to set yourself up for success, continually learn, strive to be better or do better, to work at making things happen. It was a great lesson from the book and a metaphor that I really related to.
Part Five – Masterminding: Thrive And Survive
The final section of Harper Hill’s book, The Wealth Cure, challenges the reader to take their lives and their finances to the next level. This section of the book discusses important topics such as wills, life insurance, emergency funds, and other financial topics. But, it also talks about investing in yourself and taking your own self to a higher level.
What I Liked Most About The Wealth Cure by Hill Harper
Harper Hill has a way of writing that speaks directly to the reader. He has a no nonsense, down to earth writing style. I can almost hear him speaking the words using everyday vernacular and even slang which lends to the realism and credibility of his book.
Another great aspect of The Wealth Cure is it’s easy to digest pearls of wisdom. Harper Hill makes so many great observations and points that it is almost hard to pick out a few of the best to share with you. Here are a few of my favorites…
“Searching outside of ourselves for fulfillment can oftentimes be as futile as chasing the ever-shifting pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. We never quite get it, and even if we do, it’s never enough.”
Searching outside of ourselves for fulfillment can be as futile as chasing the end of a rainbow.Click To Tweet“Fear is a way we sabotage our dreams because we often forget that we are capable of achieving whatever we want, of doing whatever we want.”
Fear is a way we sabotage our dreams.Click To TweetAt times The Wealth Cure can get a little philosophical. It is a nice change for a personal finance book to have an underlying story interwoven into tips and advice to help you take better control of your finances and ultimately your wealth.
Who Would Benefit From Reading The Wealth Cure?
The Wealth Cure by Harper Hill is an excellent book that shares with its readers not only advice on how to handle your money, investment, and financial life better, but it is also a book that so many people can relate to. Harper Hill speaks from the heart and readers can relate because the lessons and tips are interlaced with Hill’s story.
You finish the book not only with the tools to become more secure financially, but you walk away from the book with things to think about to make your life more fulfilling. I would highly recommend this book for everyone looking to improve their finances, improve the happiness in their lives, and to live a life that is more fulfilling.
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