"A lifestyle is what you pay for; a life is what pays you"

This quote by Thomas J. Leonard highlights the difference between a lifestyle and a life. A lifestyle is typically associated with material ownerships and the important things we pay for to preserve a certain standard of life. It can include expensive clothing, cars and trucks, and glamorous vacations. However, Leonard recommends that a life is something that pays us back in a more meaningful method. It is not about what we have, but rather the experiences, relationships, and individual development that enhance our lives. A life is something that brings us happiness, fulfillment, and purpose. It is not something we can purchase, but rather something we produce and cultivate through our actions and options. In essence, a lifestyle may bring short-term complete satisfaction, however a life brings lasting fulfillment.