Financial success vs happiness?

This whole discussion is moot...you know the whole happiness comes from within thing? If you're constantly chasing some external "thing" that will make you happy then you never really will be...and stuff

 

like i said, i know that example is pretty extreme but the point is those "niggas who work 3 jobs bussing tables vacuuming offices and washing cars to feed his family" aren't doing it juuuuuust to feed their families (unless their family eats $3600 in food each month). they're also paying for cell phones, for cars, for rent, etc etc etc.. some of these are life necessities (housing) but some aren't (housing where you currently live). figure out what's not, and cut it from the budget

anyway that's all pretty far from where the topic started. Rob P, I totally get what you mean about feeling like you'd be happy being a craftsman. I burned out on software for a while and did industrial construction for a few months. I would strongly caution you, though - an engineering job is probably not going to be what (I'm guessing) you have in mind. You may get to do some building of physical objects but most Mech Eng "degree" jobs are operating a computer, not a lathe.

 

In the process of mastering: Eliminating Needs and Minimizing Wants!




- by Eliminating Needs, I am speaking to the honest discussion each one of us must have with the man in the mirror; in order to put away the lies justifying fake needs.

 

Why would you want to minimize wants? Nah man, you want to maximize wants once the needs are taken care of. I always wanted a Rolex sub and I worked to get it. I always wanted a 911 and I'm now is a position to get one but, I don't want it any more.

You work to get to the point where your basic shit is taken care of and to get to the point you can just go out an buy worthless that you want. A new Ducati instead of a used yamaha, an Arai instead of some shit Z1R, 57 tacos from taco bell instead of one.

 

Dang, Dave. Rolling in it. Can I get a loan for a new laptop? I got Porsche 911 money lying around.

 

You? Yeah, sure, why not.

 

A little bit off-topic, but I read an interesting article today about how you're better off spending your money on experiences, rather than stuff. In other words skip that M4 and take three big vacations a year to exotic places.

 

I follow. I am only cautious about wants because I am not sure it is a want.
I don't buy on first impulse. When I was poor, if I wanted something that bad. I had to go find the monies. That has thought me some patience with the AmEx.

I save so that I don't have to sweat decisions. Take my recent issue with the local Honda Dealership. They had me come in to evalue my trade. And each time they refuse to give me an offer. Always a different reason. I was ready to move with a new Ridgeline. I was only asking for $5K and I was load up the new Ridgeline to the same level that I had. I was going to have the dealer bank some good money on add ons.

After the third trip, I had it. Told to lose my number. I stepped out and saw a Jeep dealership across the street. I always wanted a Jeep Wrangler. I told the Jeep dealer to make me an offer. No haggling. If I like the offer, we had a deal. They came back with $7K. I accepted.

For the third or four time, I thought I was buying a Jeep Wrangler. It is something that I wanted since I was a kid. But walked out with the GC Overland. I am bit practical. The GC will do until I settle down in one place. If I live next to the beach, I will get the Wrangler. If away from beach and close to Land Rover dealer, they will get my money.

BTW - I had fun driving the GC back to Honda Dealership, taking a picture and thanking them on Facebook for making me a Jeep owner.

I alway wanted a Ducati. It took me forever to buy one. I traded the 999S when it was time to go on tour, that led to the MTS.

The Rolex Sub or GMT II remain on my list of wants. But I am going to leave the money at a counter that is pleasant. If I smell any crap, attitude, etc, I walk.

 

I HATE travel, dude. I travel quite a bit on business and go to a lot of those places for it.

Nah man, I want stuff. Memories of Brazil is nice but an M235i last longer. . . as long as you don't crash it.

 

Now that I satified my restriction on visiting the lower 48, with the papers, I am ready to hit AK and HI. Then, the world. Maybe, I will grow a pair and finally head to Argentina. But only after I end this current assignment.

I want to hit the Pacific but not a vacationer. I like traveling better.

 

I bailed on a lucrative corporate job after 16 years. I was lucky enough to get in when pension plans were part of the package. As a road warrior for over ten of them it got be a grind. Most of the people who had been around longer than me were all red faced, over weight, and stressed out. I looked around one day at a corporate meeting when I had about five years in when the whole US field force was called in (Sunday travel required) and saw the reality of it. After about ten years little by little a lot of those guys were stroking out in Hamton Inns alone pumping in reports at midnight and later.
Sure the money was great, a new car of my choice every 12k miles, fuel and insurance paid, 45 days paid vacation, fat expense account.... owned a nice home in a lucrative south Atlanta golf cart community. Then I thought, look at the nut I have here and and how much it takes to fuel it every month and for what? My income is now down over 20k from where it was since taking reduced retirement. It isn't much every month but it fuels a monthly race program as long as we don't break or crash much. My wife is younger and has another 20 years to work and her career is on the upswing, grateful for that and I take good care of her. I no longer own my own home. It's much harder to race as much as we did sometimes, but damn if I don't feel much better and my family is my peace. THE most important fact that solidified my decision to take early retirement was that I had missed the first ten years of my kids life. I grew up that way with an unhealthy weekend Dad who was too burned out to spend time with us when he was home. He died early. My current job rocks, six miles from my comfy rented Scottsdale, Az. home working with boring things like Lamborghini Mura's and getting paid every week and for every hour I put in. The best job benefit I have ever had is a racer owner/boss who is enthusiastic about my sons racing. No problem taking time off to spend time at the track and on the road together.
Your results may vary, it can be done. I guess it depends on your values and how vain you are.

 

The fact your average Joe Consumer is unhappy if he doesn't get $75K to burn though has nothing to do with possibility of happiness in general. "Cold facts" sure but be careful making conclusions.

 

Well Friday was my first day back after vacation. I do have to say that I do get some pleasure from watching my critic struggle to do the job I did (it took three people to replace me).

I think the bottom line is finding a satisfactory level of happiness in the work I do. I certainly am not immune to the fact that my job affords me luxuries including my expensive motorcycle hobby. I am not set on changing careers, simply looking for a better life balance. Whether that means splitting work with hobbies that make me happy, or finding a was to supplement my income via the things I want to do so that I can do less of what I dont. I haven't figured it out yet, but I will at some point. Definitely need to change my current position just to get a fresh start and hit the reset button.

 

Seems pretty clear to me from all research that neither is particularly important. What they're basically saying is how one relates to people and how one manages to unfold their potential is what matters in the end. Consuming stuff and consuming experiences, maybe the latter is a bit less of a waste but without fitting into a bigger story just traveling around "for experiences" looks like the same class of activity as shopping to me.

 

I don't remember where I found this..I think it means to live and really live

... in a home for the elderly and that in the end the belongings of a wealthy politician, a bishop, an awarded scientist and a lady who worked all her life in a factory all end up being amazingly similar and reduced to a few photos and nick knacks that take up no more room than a bedside table. So, perhaps its all about the doing rather than the having.

 

I couldn't agree more!

Frankly I think this has thread has gone 6 plus pages because wealth/happiness is a relative to ones values and perspective of life. Some people "need" more than others. I know several folks that have never made more than 50k a year and have rock solid financial stability and happiness. I also know folks that make 500+k a year and their lives are a complete disaster.

Ive lived on both sides of the rail....worked my ass off to make 35k a year at times and Ive also been on the other side where Im making more money than I could have ever dreamed of making and at the same time making uncle sam smile. The one thing Ive always worked hard to do, is not let money change who I am. I use it as a tool as much as I can and then leave it at that. The lack of money/financial stability regardless if you make 35k or 500k is a level of stress that is physiologically crushing. Often times Ive found that the more money you make, the higher the stress level comes.

I think the ultimate reality is this......its whats inside you that makes you happy and content in your life. Money will simply magnify whats inside you......whether thats good OR bad!

 

This breakfast sandwich is really making me happy!

 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! He's back!!!

 

Translation.