The Old Money Book

As many of you already know, I detailed the Core Values of Old Money in The Old Money Book.

These included Health, Education, Financial Independence, and other important ‘tent poles’ that support the way of life that we refer to as Old Money.

These are cultural priorities: touchstones that Old Money families build their lives around, and important beliefs that they share with their peers, teach to their children, and live by on a daily basis.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve been introduced to a small group of people here in Europe who would easily qualify as Old Money. In fact, they are the very definition of Old Money.

Some are very rich. Some are working professionals who only live off what they earn. A couple have endured gasp-inducing reversals of fortune during their lifetimes. All are educated, well-travelled, and well-mannered.

However, in speaking with them collectively or individually, you wouldn’t be able to tell which ones have had it made all their lives, which ones are just getting by, and which ones have lost it all.

That is because they all exhibit the quality of optimism, regardless of what they’ve been through and regardless of what financial or personal condition they’re in now.

This optimism–the belief that one always looks to the future with hope and acts as if things are going to turn out well, regardless of past experience–is rock hard among these people.

There is barely a moment of self pity if they even bother to recount their troubles. Likewise, there is barely a moment of complacency if they admit to having been very lucky or very successful. This is because they’re looking forward, not backward.

And when they look forward, for themselves or for others, it is always through the lens of optimism: they look for the best in situations and in people.

They are not naive, but they are not pessimistic. They know history. They also know the power of goodness, the strength of belief, and the importance of hard work. They are confident that, all in all, things will get better, regardless of how they appear right now.

That confidence infuses their conversation, their worldview, and their endeavors with a surprising amount of joy, laughter, and anticipation.

This may seem an obvious predisposition of someone born into a privileged life. Of course it’s all going to work out in the end. But that’s not the whole story: it is a mindset and that mindset remains, even in the aftermath of adversity.

There is a marked, shared character trait I’ve noticed: regardless of what has happened, it is imperative to maintain an even keel of confidence, of promise, of resilience.

Among these people, being depressed or exhibiting self pity is in poor form. At first, I thought this was simply part of being polite or putting a ‘positive spin’ on things in order to save face in public..

However, it is more than that: in their world, optimism is a hard and fast rule. You were born into privilege. Therefore, you don’t sulk. You don’t complain. You don’t whine. It simply is not done.

You may have your emotional moments in private, but they are brief. Dry your tears. Blow your nose. Throw your shoulders back. Take a deep breath. Get back into the trenches. Live life.

It is an admirable quality, inspiring to witness, and challenging to emulate.

But I give it my best every day, and I encourage you to do the same.

Optimism is the new Old Money Core Value. Embrace it.

• BGT

PS I’ll be writing more about this group and their way of life in an upcoming book, to be published later this year.