I was intrigued by a conversation I had last night with a friend who is unabashedly clear about what gets him out of bed in the morning, the desire to make money. Making a comfortable living doesn’t interest him. He only has eyes for attaining great wealth. Like an Olympian in training, he eliminates any perceived distractions in his path. I have no doubt his quest will be realized, but I wonder if he’ll be satisfied with the end result. Of course my examination of his choices led me to question the role money plays in my life. How much will a paycheck dictate my next career move? How much money do I need to be happy? According to a 2009 San Francisco University Study, “money can lead to greater happiness for the person possessing it and those around them, if it is used to buy experiences, not possessions.” This has indeed been my understanding, particularly in the past year. Money has afforded me a year sabbatical resulting in oodles of pleasure. Financial success has given me financial freedom, a status I can’t sustain at this juncture, but a goal that could ironically get me out of bed in the morning.
The NYTimes did a whole story on this recertly (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/business/08consume.html)
ReplyDeletethey also advise to do several 3 day weekends instead of one long trip, to plan far in advance because the anticipation itself is part of the pleasure, etc etc. People who have the wealth your friend desires don't have to think about such things, because they can have multiple sets of clothes in multiple homes.....but then, what?