Yet this is exactly what we do with our financial goals.
Here’s something fascinating:
Nobel laureates Kahneman and Deaton discovered something profound:
Money does buy happiness… but only up to about $75,000 per year (adjusted for inflation).
After that?
The happiness line goes flat.
More money doesn’t equal more joy.
Yet here’s what I see a lot:
• At €100K in savings: “Just need €250K to feel secure”
• At €250K: “A million would be perfect”
• At €1M: “Maybe just one more…”
The research is clear:
People across ALL income brackets say they need “50% more than they have now” to be happy.
Whether they make €30K or €300K.
The goalpost keeps moving.
This phenomenon has a name: the hedonic treadmill.
• You set a financial target
• You reach it after hard work
• Brief satisfaction
• New target appears
• Repeat
But here’s what I’ve learned from working with high-achievers:
The most fulfilled ones aren’t those who reached their number.
They’re the ones who understood that financial wealth is just a part of Total Wealth (health, relationships, time, and purpose are the other four pillars)
The solution?
1. Calculate your actual “enough” number (based on real needs, not ego)
2. Recognize when you’re past the point of diminishing returns
3. Invest heavily in experiences and the other 4 pillars of Total Wealth (over excess material ´stuff)
Because:
If you can’t find contentment at €100K/year…
You won’t find it at €1M either.
Let me be clear: The goal isn’t to stop being ambitious.
It’s about looking beyond financial wealth alone.
P.S. About the picture: One of the reasons I love traveling so much:
✅ Obviously you need some money
✅ Clearly you could make time for it
✅ You need some level of energy to undertake it
✅ Mostly with other people: relationships
✅ Great opportunity to create Epic Memories
Checks most boxes for Total Wealth!
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