There was a levy in ancient empires called Jizya. Non-believers paid it.Unless they sent a family member to the army. Suddenly the tax disappeared. The levy was not about revenue. It was about building an army. That was the moment I understood something powerful: Tax promotes behavior. Modern tax systems do the same. They promote exports. They promote manufacturing. They promote renewable energy. They promote job creation. Tax is not accidental. It is intentional social engineering. The question is not “Why am I taxed?” The question is “What behavior is the system nudging me toward?”

Most people think wealth is what you save. It isn’t. Wealth is what you create. Saving is a finite game. It assumes money is scarce. It is driven by fear — what if I lose? Creation is an infinite game. It starts with one belief: wealth is abundant. That value can be created again and again. Saving preserves the past. Creation builds the future. The real question is not, “How much did you save?” It’s: What did you create today?

In San Francisco, you’re not just paying taxes. You’re buying access. Access to exceptional talent. Access to deep investor ecosystems. Access to clients who are ready to scale. The entire system is engineered to help you move fast, win deals, and scale quickly. Yes, the headline tax rate looks high. But your odds of success, speed of execution, and ability to compound outcomes are dramatically higher. Dubai, on the other hand, offers low taxes and a great lifestyle. But when it comes to client depth, investor density, and scale-ready ecosystems, it is still only a patch compared to mature markets like San Francisco. And that difference can decide whether you merely exist or truly succeed at scale. This is why headline tax rates are misleading. What matters is True Tax Cost: True Tax Cost = Tax Paid + Pain Endured − Odds of Success − Incentives Remember: 👉 Tax is not what you pay. It’s what you suffer. If this way of thinking resonates, check out the audio classroom and go to Chapter 4 on True Tax Cost.