Has there every been a point in your life were you were successful but not happy and vice versa?
The perception of money and happiness has been discussed, argued and debated for decades. What we desire to attain in life sometimes surpasses what ultimately makes us happy. We sometimes sacrifice our happiness for money because it is convenient and sometimes an easier decision. For the most part money rules a lot of our lives we need money for pretty much everything in life. So choosing money over happiness may seem to be the only way out.
In today’s money hungry society there is an overwhelming number of people who work the ranks of power, chase money at all costs, or forget the true meaning of happiness. This is common because we live in a society where money is supposed to give us “happiness”. Needless to say we know that’s not the case especially when we see professional athletes, actors and celebrities who have millions of dollars take their own life because they aren’t happy.
Now money does matter we need it to survive but if we get consumed with money and the chase of money it can be toxic for our life. Just this past week I heard a great quote from a mentor of who said “Money will buy you many things, but the happiness from it is only limited”. These words were profound to me because sometimes we all can get consumed with money. The stress of life can cause anyone to lose the true meaning of happiness because of bills, family obligations and life expenses.
Now this brings up the question which is more important to you money or happiness? Before you answer ask yourself what is your ultimate goal in life? Is your aim in life to become a billionaire and have to get tax right offs and an accountant on your payroll? Or are you following your dreams and passions that truly make you happy instead of going after money? There’s nothing wrong with, either, just different approaches and priorities. Comment below and tell me your answers & if you liked this post please share!
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Jay Colby 
Money issue can really affect happiness. It can become your slave driver always trying to get caught up. Credit is thought to bring happiness, but it is just the opposite. It enslaves you if not managed. When you have a family and kids in school, you sometimes have to sacrifice work happiness to do what is necessary to have the money you need.
I believe happiness comes from living within your means. If I can’t pay it off in 30 days I don’t buy it. Other than a house or car, I have rarely charged on a long term basis. I pay my card off every month. Now I am retired, living on social security and a little pension from school teaching and happier than I have ever been.
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I agree you made a great point we shouldn’t buy many items that we really can’t afford. It is issue that many of us have “living outside our means”. This can affect our happiness. Thank you for sharing!
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I believe that happiness comes from satisfaction. You might have done whatever you are interested in, you might have earned enough money, but if you’re not satisfied, you can never be happy.
You might be doing passionate but if it does not fetch enough money, you’re going to be frustrated at some point. I think you need to do something passionate which also helps you earn.
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That’s a good point just because we’re happy doesn’t mean we are making enough money to be satisfied. Thanks for sharing!
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hostels exist or once did so years could elapse homeless otherwise. light work and a variety of light tasks done meant the property got cared for and the gas kept on. then there is the wealthier- I swore all it would take is a few nudges to my millions- i didn’t try the love card and hope i thus do not wholly know but it was simple he too didn’t start out rich so ether would I have to- just footsteps in front of each other toward what works and removing the bleeding heart to care for and be bleed by others when I need my leg up.. simple stuff- one can be a multi millionaire in hardly no time or live years on end on hardly a cent. success is a bit illusiary that way. however easy as it is, I can not charm my way into it some days so much as 20 cents short on a busride.
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Very true making “millions” is not easy and takes a lot hard work. Being able to be happy no matter how much money is in our bank account is key. Thanks for sharing!
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money’s funny… it can come in piles easily or scarcely glitter a cent. some can work and work hard one more day then cuss they didn’t get paid, others can work each gamble risked returned rewarded slow or fast but achieved, some can squeek away doing nothing and win their way too. it’s all funny one reason I happen to love religion because of a line where it says heavenly reward isn’t by works but his grace. success is like that- it isn’t money which people think it is but even if it were- you could work hard for money and end with none or work “smart” and make piles both could be unhappier for it while one could cry more comfortably in a mercedes… sing your janis joplin now 😉 oh lord won’t you by me a mer cedes benz – my friend’s all drive porches, I must make ammends, worked hard all my life, no help from my friends oh lord, wont you buy me a mer ce des benz. 😉
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Nothing wrong with wanting money, just that to me, it is one of the forms of fulfillment …and I am unable to pursue it at the cost of joy and contentment. Your post is very apt to get the minds going about questioning and finding this balance.
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I agree with your sentiment. Finding balance is an imperative factor to attaining success.
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I’ve met rich and poor people who are unhappy, and vice versa. It’s all in your mind. Money makes us think we need things, more stuff to add to our stuff. Internal peace is what we all desire, that takes work….you can’t measure that with a bank account
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Great insight thanks for sharing!
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I think that money is important and yes it can buy things which can surely make our loved ones happy. But I have one argument, what is going to happen if we leave money aside and chase our dreams wildly giving 100%. Chances are you might succeed in that field and achieve all the fame and money you deserve in it and the with that money also you can do whatever you wanna do and that too happily.
If in case you fail while chasing the dream then also you will have enough regrets in your life at all.
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Great insight if we work hard anything is possible!
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Very thought provoking! Thanks for posting! Ill take the happiness. Many terrible things have happened for the sake of money. At its root it is simply a means of exchange. Money on its own is worthless. It is what you can get with it that makes it valuable.
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Great insight thanks for sharing!
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In today’s world when it comes to money, we are damned if we do and we are damn sure damned if we don’t. I still choose to go after my passions. Happiness and money come with doing what you love.
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My overarching goal is freedom; and freedom for those who desire it. The way the world is set up today – money is required to buy freedom. Therefore, money = freedom = happiness.
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I agree completely having freedom is want many of us want. Thanks for reading & sharing such thoughtful insight!
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Can i choose both? I’m a little selfish for wanting both. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this Jay. Have a great friday.
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Yes I think we all want both in a certain sense. Thank you I hope you have a great Friday as well!
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You’re welcome.
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Having lived a life without financial concern, I was happy. After my divorce money was tight but I earned enough to remain happy. At 52-years-old, I was diagnosed with advanced glaucoma and was unable to continue working. Qualifying for Social Security Disability my income was reduced by 2/3. Remaining in my hometown was not financially viable so I used all of my savings to move to a city where the cost of living wasn’t as high. Gone were the days of eating out, purchasing items I didn’t need, manicures, Starbucks, and other nonessentials.
However, by having more leisure than ever I discovered passions like creating videos, activism, gardening, philosophy, and home improvement projects on the duplex my brother rents to me. I have a greater sense of happiness enjoying these activities. Income is relative to what brings you happiness and having the time to realize what brings you happiness is priceless.
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My family and I have struggled financially, but the best part is that we know how much money we need to make to function happily. It isn’t much but enough to pay bills and allow for some Funtime slack off. If we made more I think it would just be more self development money spending. Like my shopping habits. Or getting my nails done. All of which aren’t necessary.
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Very true. Thank you for reading!
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Wanting money for balance and wanting it for greed is totally different. I think money is okay but since it is what we pay in most of the times we need it, so we need to earn it but sacrificing your health and relationships(money bringing you ego/enemies and all) is wrong. At the end of the day, home is where the heart is and heart is where the home is, if the home is well provided for (which can be done with less money too) then all is well. 🙂
Have a wonderful night Jay. 🙂 See you.
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Money itself is not the evil. We do need it to maintain a certain amount of independence and there is nothing wrong with wanting things for ourselves but when that is what drives us then it becomes a problem. Choosing things over people is a downward spiral.
Always an interesting read.
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Money is a very important aspect of life without which one can’t achieve his full potentials. Unfortunately, schools don’t talk much about it.
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Very true. Schools usually don’t teach money literacy. Which can cause adults to not understand money and how it works. Thanks for reading!
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First happiness..second money
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I agree thanks for reading!
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Well said
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Thank you!
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Money can buy happiness to the extent that it can let you have basic needs and some amount of security and freedom. In other words, empty bellies aren’t usually happy. Beyond that, though, so much of our happiness depends on the small intentional choices that we make on a day-to-day basis, rather than vast financial gains.
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mmm!..that’s for you, but for me if you’re not looking healthy, there’s no happiness.
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Happiness always! ❤
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Between 0-50K money buy happiness. Between 50K and 50M… unlikely. Good post.
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Great point. Thanks for sharing!
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Absolutely.
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My ultimate dream is to live as self-sustainable as possible. I want to build a tiny house using recycled and raw materials, use solar and wind energy, and grow my own food. This is not to say I won’t need any money, but I am happy to have just enough money as I need to survive comfortably (meaning hot showers) 🙂
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Currently getting out of debt , stacking money for the future . Maybe buy a property or 2 but other than that I just want to enjoy life and do what I love . Money isn’t as important to me but I do believe when you are smart with your money it takes A LOT of stress off of you .
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It made me quite isolated being “successful” and I think a lot of the social groups I moved “up” into only magnified that. Cool article
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It all comes down to this quote “There is enough in this world for our need but not for our greed.”
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Great article. I think both together is wonderful. I can’t just have one. It’s a must as humans we discover the opportunities that will make us wealthy and happy. Stick to your principles and build. Once again, nice article. Keep up the great work! 😁
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Such a beautiful insight. We always confuse comforts with happiness and that’s why we think more comforts = more happiness. However true happiness is something that rather simple and can be easily attained once we start listening to our inner voice and start following it.
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Well, I’m a teacher so I’m going to say happiness. No one’s ever become a teacher for the money. 😂 I just want to help people at the end of the day.
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I think having both money and happiness are important. I don’t think you can have happiness if you are constantly worrying about paying the bills or other obligations. So if I had to choose I would choose ‘money’ over ‘happiness.’ The reason being, if you look at the extremes, having a lot of money can buy you moments of happiness. While having very little money is very lonely. No one wants to be around someone who is always broke and needs help. Their stress will be your stress.
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Ofcourse Money can not be a driving force but lately I have been made to realize by everyone around me that pursuing life and not money makes you that relation which is an obligation as you can not afford that 5 star hotel lunch, or every second night party or you can not upgrade the life of your home because you dont have enough money.
It is a disastrous to follow money but maybe sometimes, you need to pursue that. But yes not at the expense of sacrificing the things which gives you happiness.
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Good topic for debate, I recently watched a documentary about billionaires and most of them are paranoid about family being abducted for ransom, have panic rooms and high levels of security….
Perhaps there’s a tipping point from being rich (up to say a millionaire) with money and having happiness and freedom to the point where you become a prisoner to the money (billionaire)..
I believe follow your passions and dream big and don’t try fit in with the crowd.
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