Why Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness

Have you ever heard of the old saying, “Money won’t make you happy”? Well, as cliché as it is, it’s the truth.

Yes, it can alleviate a lot of pain and suffering. It can pay for healthcare, move you to a safer location, and remove a lot of stress and worry, which can subsequently make room for a lot more happiness. But money, by itself, does not make you happy.

You might be thinking, “Yeah, say that to me when I’m sitting on my yacht”, and you know what, yes, you will be very happy in that moment, a moment that only money can create.

But what happens the second time you sit on that yacht? Probably the same, now what about the tenth? Or the 30th? Are you just as happy? Or are you now looking at the bigger, shinier yacht sailing by and thinking, “If only I could have that one”?

This is the hedonic adaptation at play, which is the human tendency to become accustomed to whatever we have, do and feel.

You’ve experienced this yourself, you were probably once excited about everything you currently own, but where’s that excitement now?

Just as you’re looking at the person with the Ferrari, someone is looking at you in the same way. And let's not forget who the person with the Ferrari is also looking at.

It’s the same all the way up. This is because whatever is causing us to want these things will never be solved by having them. They are the symptom, not the cause. 

This doesn’t mean you should stop chasing the things you want, not at all. What it means is that on your way there, you should do everything in your power to become grateful for what you already have, and to reduce the amount of happiness you attribute to material things.

Because the more you expect money to make you happy, the bigger the disappointment and misery you’re setting yourself up for.

It’s about the harmonious balance between ambition and contentment, because if you’re not already at peace with what you have, you won’t be at peace with whatever you want.

The more you look, the more you’ll see that everything is relative. 

Avoiding relativity is impossible, but simply being aware of it can shift your focus onto something that may instead make a real difference.