I’ve never believed in measuring one’s worth by the size of his or her bank account. I prefer to look at distance traveled.

Rather contrasts two yardsticks for human value: accumulated wealth versus personal progress. By rejecting “bank account” as a proxy for worth, he critiques a culture that equates success with money and status. “Distance traveled” reframes achievement as growth over time—how far someone has come given their starting point, obstacles, and choices. The phrase also resonates with a journalist’s sensibility: valuing experience, resilience, and hard-won perspective over material outcomes. The quote’s significance lies in its egalitarian ethic—honoring effort and development rather than inherited advantage or financial metrics.