Ask a group what success means to them, and you’ll get an abundance of answers. The definitions generally have a common throughline: money may not be a top indicator for whether someone is successful, but it’s often part of the conversation. It’s hard to do meaningful work while struggling to pay the bills.
One person who understands this intimately is Eszylfie Taylor.
An entrepreneur who owns 11 companies, Taylor is a financial advisor who helps athletes, celebrities, and other individuals with enviable net worths manage their money. Yet that’s not all. He’s also a certified yoga instructor; co-founder of Kali Health & Fitness in San Gabriel Valley, CA; and brand ambassador and model for Lululemon.
Taylor clearly knows personal and professional success. He also understands the hard work, balance, and mindset required to make it happen. As a philanthropist, loving husband, and proud dad to four daughters, he’s on a mission to make financial literacy accessible and help everyone realize success on their own terms.
One way he does this is through Mind. Body. Money., an app and reality series that helps people develop the right mindset, move their bodies, and better manage their money.
“When you know better, you can do better,” Taylor says. “With the app, millions of people can listen to the content and learn how compounded interest works. This approach allows many people to take my tools and make decisions that work for them.”
Balancing mind, body, and money
If you’re wondering how Taylor juggles everything, you’re not alone. Even he isn’t totally sure how it happens. He credits a lot of his success to taking chances, going after what he wants, and putting in the work.
“I believe so fully and whole-heartedly in myself that I know, whatever it is, I can figure it out,” he says. “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take. I’d rather shoot in this life and sometimes fail miserably than sit on my hands.”
This same mentality has fueled Taylor since the beginning. Although he knew he wanted to be successful and make a lot of money, he stumbled into the financial world by accident when his economics professor introduced him to the managing director of a local financial firm during university.
When Taylor interviewed, he tested off the charts and was offered a position. He built his knowledge from there, eventually earning the title “the superstar of financial advisors.” Today, he’s more focused on empowering others.
“The things I'm doing now are really driven by impact,” Taylor says. “If I sit down with a client, I can only engage with that one person. When I do a video on mindfulness or health, I’m able to put that on TV and cast a wider net.”
That health piece is important. Taylor advocates for the accessibility of yoga with the same fervor as he does financial literacy.
“If you don't have your health, you're not going to be able to put in the time and effort necessary to create wealth,” Taylor says. “And you won't live long enough to enjoy it.”
An educational approach to financial literacy
After teaching a yoga class in his studio in mid-November 2023, Taylor was talking to one of his students, a top neurologist with 25 years of experience in her field, about her 401k and pension options. She didn’t know what to do.
“It’s not that most people lack the ability to understand and make a decision,” Taylor says. “It’s that we’re never given the education.”
To Taylor, financial literacy is teaching people how things work, so they can make the choices that work best for their life circumstances. He encourages everyone to read articles, listen to interviews, and seek out publications that explain financial concepts.
“You have to have the understanding because there's not a one-size-fits-all,” Taylor says. “Everything should be contoured to the individual.”
A new definition of success
Taylor has worked with enough one-percenters to know that money is never the end goal. Eventually, intention becomes more important. Taylor’s own purpose and personal definition of success have changed over time, too.
He remains a go-getter and an eternal optimist, but he now values the kind of financial security that allows him the freedom to do things because he wants to, not because he has to.
“Money doesn’t change who you are,” Taylor says. “It highlights who you are. That’s why positivity is so important. When people ask how I am, I say it’s the best day of my life every day.”
The Surprising Way Americans Define Success
If you believe that people generally equate success with being rich, you’re not alone. The Success Index, a private opinion survey that seeks to measure Americans’ personal definitions of success, found that most people believe being rich is a top priority for their compatriots.
The truth is that half of Americans prioritize “being able to do work that has a positive impact on other people, enjoying their work, being enjoyable to be around, having a purpose in life, and being actively involved in their community” instead.
Being rich actually ranked near the bottom third on a list of 61 priorities.
Financial Literacy 101
Money is a serious source of stress for many people. From earning and saving to borrowing and investing, it can be intimidating to know where to start. Fortunately, learning the basics of financial literacy can help alleviate money-related anxiety. Here are five tips to get you started:
1. Learn to budget.
2. Build your savings.
3. Use debt wisely and have a plan for repayment.
4. Be smart with credit.
5. Invest to grow your wealth.
Brain-Boosting Supplements
A positive mindset begins with a healthy brain. From fighting depression to improving memory, these supplements have been shown to improve cognitive performance. Here’s how they can set you up for success.
|
Supplement |
Benefit |
|
Nootropics |
promote increased motivation, heightened creativity, and improved memory, attention span, and mood |
|
Omega-3s |
promote learning, cognitive well-being, memory, and blood flow throughout the brain |
|
Resveratrol |
provides a protective lining for blood vessels, limiting inflammation in the brain, and protecting memory and brain function |
|
Lion’s mane |
reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety. It may also speed up nerve damage postinjury |
|
CoQ10 |
may help prevent oxidative stress, an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in the body that can speed up dementia progression |
|
B vitamins |
boost neurotransmitters, prevent dementia, and improve overall brain function |
|
Turmeric |
improves memory and attention, helps with depression, and may slow or reverse the progression of brain diseases like Alzheimer's |
|
Lemon balm |
relieves stress, reduces anxiety, and alleviates headaches, as well as improves and enhances memory |
This article was originally published in the January-February 2024 issue of alive magazine (US edition).
Karli Petrovic is a writer, editor and yoga instructor living in Portland, Oregon. She’s written for a variety of publications, including Greenhouse Grower, HOW, Print and Edible Ohio Valley.
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