There is a temptation to make money the goal of our worldly pursuits,
To make a certain income level or amount of accumulated assets our life purpose,
One that becomes the benchmark of our performance and subsequent happiness.
Until reached,
We have not yet made it and thus cannot be satisfied.
The problem is that if your goal is purely financial,
Attainment will feel like a hollow victory.
This is because,
After a certain point,
More money does not bring more happiness.
Research puts the happiness cap at around $75,
000,
Varied for location,
Inflation and familial circumstances.
Why is this the case?
Intuitively there's a feeling that more is always better,
And almost everyone feels this way.
Yet from a purely happiness perspective,
Once you've reached your cap,
More money does little to impact happiness.
After a certain point,
More money has little functional impact.
Once you have a house over your head,
A car to take you to work,
Enough food to survive,
As well as some left for a small safety net and the occasional holiday,
Having more money would not drastically change your life.
If the income of someone at their cap doubled overnight,
What would change?
They would still need to work,
So time-wise they'll be just as committed.
So instead,
They upgrade their lifestyle.
Yet these upgrades do little to impact their functionality.
Once you have a car that works,
What does a better car actually give you?
Toyota does the same job as a Ferrari.
Both get stuck in traffic.
Both can take you to work and back.
Both can be used for shopping and running other errands.
True,
One is more desirable,
But attaining it does little to change our day-to-day life.
This same logic can be applied to your house,
Holidays and gadgets.
Once you have a certain level of attainment,
The changes in functionality are almost non-existent.
The top-of-the-line phone is almost identical to last year's model.
A $50 shirt does the same job as one costing $200.
A Rolex tells the same time as any other watch.
Happiness comes from you,
Not stuff.
When your income increases,
So do your habits and expectations.
You have more,
So you spend more.
Yet,
It was still you when you go on that holiday.
You just happen to be staying in a fancier hotel,
Eating more expensive foods.
It was still you when you use that new phone or step out of the sports car.
It is impossible to buy your way to happiness,
No matter what the advertisements tell you.
As a species,
We are very adaptable,
But seldom satisfied.
Because money can be converted into almost anything,
We have a primal drive to always want more.
Over time,
As your income level increases,
Your tastes increase alongside it,
And suddenly that amazing figure that once seemed out of reach will quickly become run-of-the-mill.
When you reach the financial level you are aiming for,
Your satisfaction at doing so will not last.
You will have become accustomed to it and will soon set your sights on higher luxuries.
The goal posts will forever be shifting,
And as such you will remain unsatisfied.
Imagine that your goal was to have $1 million in the bank,
And that you are currently $1 shy of that mark.
Would you be unsatisfied?
Would getting that $1 make you exponentially happier?
When you get it,
Would you suddenly feel as if you've made it?
What if,
Instead of being $1 shy of a million,
You were instead $10,
Or $100,
Or $1000?
At what point would your happiness significantly change?
Look up the countless stories of exorbitantly wealthy people who,
Despite their millions,
Are desperately unhappy.
Now take time to interact with people who are on a regular income yet a nonetheless loving life.
Up to a certain point,
Money will make you happier.
Beyond that amount,
However,
Its impact is minimal.
The sole pursuit of money over everything will not lead to satisfaction.
Remember the last major purchase you made.
You were looking forward to it.
Super excited about how amazing an addition to your life it will be.
And when it came,
You did feel great.
You finally had the thing.
But soon your mood dropped.
You had a sinking feeling that this new thing could be better.
You started noticing the issues and second-guessing your choices.
You worry about keeping it clean and safe.
Then you start fantasizing about your next potential purchase.
Relations cannot satisfy the soul.
There is always more you can buy.
Always.
Would you prefer to be exceedingly rich and unhappy?
Or surviving but incredibly happy?
This is a false choice,
Of course.
You can be both rich and happy,
Provided you focus your efforts beyond material attainment.
It is a question of values.
What do you want from this life?
Often we set the financial goal first as a stop-gap.
Because we believe that if we attained that magical figure,
We would have the time and space to consider what we are doing with our lives.
This is a fear response,
One that has the potential to take our best years.
The truth is that we may never reach our financial goals.
Yet the pursuit will cost us time that we can never reclaim.
Deathbed regret is often caused by a misalignment of actions and values.
What would you do once you made it?
Would you start a family?
Write a book?
Enter a competition?
Study?
Start a hobby?
Run for government?
Is it possible to do those things now?
Money is the ultimate safety blanket.
It provides protection and gives the illusion of happiness.
But the reality is that no matter how much money you earn,
You are still you.
You still have to act on those underlying values if you want to attain true happiness.
Therefore,
It seems prudent to detach and work out what those values are and whether you can start living by them now.
You may find that a value-driven life is within your reach and that the cause of your current unhappiness was not the failure to reach your financial goals,
But rather the failure to act in accordance with what you truly value.
