Gross worth = meaningless

Net worth = reality

If the music stops and you have to put all your pennies in a pile after liquidating your investments and paying down your debts, what you're left with is your Net worth. Net worth is the only real measure of your financial wealth. If you've got $5m worth of property and $5m worth of debt, and a $100k income and losses of $80k a year before you buy your daily bread, then guess how much you're worth -- nothing ! All you've got is a punting position; nothing more.