Member-only story
Money and Possessions Won’t Make You Happier. Here’s What Will
Are you convinced if you had more “things” in life, you’d be happier? Does a little voice inside your head tell you a new home or a shiny, new car is the ticket to contentment, or that the latest high-tech gadgets will put you on the fast track to happiness?
From the time people enter adulthood and start working, they fight to accumulate “stuff.” For some, it’s an ongoing quest to see who can accumulate the most dazzling high-value items.
Cars, a new boat, a larger home, they’re some of the most common possessions people aspire to own and display so others can see and admire them.
It’s all part of “conspicuous consumption.” Investopedia.com defines conspicuous consumption as
“The acquisition of particular goods or services that serve the express purpose of displaying one’s wealth.”
It turns out that many possessions people accumulate only provide a brief dopamine surge, and when that surge subsides, so does the contentment it brought.
The Glow of “Stuff” Wears Off
You feel fantastic driving that new luxury car for a few weeks, but then you grow accustomed to that new car smell and seeing that expensive automobile in your driveway, and it no longer triggers your happy button. So, you look for something else to make you feel good.
For some people, this cycle happens repeatedly, sometimes a lifetime, until they realize they’re no closer to happiness than they were when they started. Then, the reality hits them: things don’t make you happy.
Contrary to what retailers of luxury goods would have you believe, the boost you’ll get from buying something new fades quickly. Even worse, it can lead to a lifelong pattern of seeking happiness through acquiring material goods.
Money and “Stuff” Isn’t the Key to Happiness
You need certain basics to feel happy and secure with life, but continuously adding more things to your life, like cars, boats, techy stuff, a…
