"Once I get that promotion, I'll be comfortable financially." "Once I have one million dollars for retirement, I'll be set." "Once I buy that dream house, then I'll be happy."

Do these statements sound familiar? They all have the same cause-and-effect mentality: "If I get this, then I'll have that." To an extent, that's correct, but it's missing one crucial point: our human emotions aren't as straight-forward as numbers or facts. One plus one always equals two, but a person plus something they want does not always equal happiness. 

Not to say the old adage "Money can't buy happiness" is entirely true – recent studies have proven that having your financial needs covered does affect your happiness level. There's a caveat, though: once needs are met, emotional wellbeing does not line up with how much money you have. 

So what does that mean? Is it wrong to want a nice home, a higher salary, or a comfortable retirement? Of course not. Like most things in life, it's about balance: recognizing that these things can bring some enjoyment, but they're only a piece of the puzzle. 

"But wait, this whole business is about helping people make more money, isn't it? Isn't this counterintuitive?" It's true that finance is important to us; right on the homepage of our website, we state: "Our first priority is your overall financial success." However, notice it says "first priority", not "only priority". We care about a lot more than just numbers; we care about our clients. About you. 

So let's take a moment to look at happiness – and all of its puzzle pieces. 

What is happiness, anyway? 

There are many different ways to define happiness. Sometimes it's used to describe a short-term spike of positive feelings, when you're doing something you enjoy. Money can buy you that kind of happiness, allowing you to go on a shopping spree, take a vacation, or go out to dinner with friends, but with a catch: it doesn't last. How many times have you looked forward to something fun for days or even months, enjoyed doing it in the moment, and then afterward were left asking, "Now what?"

That's not the type of happiness we're talking about. Rather, it's an enduring, deep contentment with life. This kind of happiness can be impacted by money, but isn't reliant on it or guaranteed by it. 

Let's consider a few examples. First, we have a single mom working two full-time jobs to provide for her children and still barely making ends meet. They're a tight-knit family, and enjoy activities that don't cost a lot. Do they already have happiness? Yes. Would a higher-paying job, where the mom wouldn't need to work as much, make them happier? Yes, as long as it didn't take away the contributors of happiness they already had. 

Second, we have a couple who have reached financial freedom. All of their needs are met, and they can comfortably cover their wants, too. They go on vacations around the world, drive nice cars, and never have to worry about putting food on the table. You'd think they'd be happy, wouldn't you? But they don't have a good relationship with each other, they have no deeper purpose to life, and their "friends" only care about what they can get from them. Despite all that money, they are not happy. 

A few contributors – or puzzle pieces – toward happiness were highlighted in those examples. Let's look into a few of them. 

Personal Relationships

Humans thrive on real, deep connection. Close family members, old friends, and a significant other bring a strong sense of enduring happiness into our lives. As an example, I went on vacation to North Conway with some family and friends a few weeks ago. Six of us stayed in an Airbnb together, and during the day we went shopping, got food out, and did some sightseeing (it was peak foliage, after all!).

We had fun; there happened to be a craft fair in North Conway that weekend, and I love those! I bought some handmade jewelry, my brother bought a 3D printed dragon, and others picked out things that they liked. 

But is that what I valued about our vacation? No, at least not highly. Sure, it's fun to add some jewelry to my collection, but I would be fine without it. The part I really treasured was the quality time we all spent together, especially during the evenings back at the Airbnb. We played board games, shared meals, sat by the river together, and laughed – a lot. It was such a warm, cozy feeling that made me so appreciative to have these people in my life. I felt loved, valued, and connected. 

A few weeks have gone by, and those feelings haven't faded. I feel more connected, more bonded, to these people than ever. The thing is, I could've had that same exact feeling if we hadn't stayed in an Airbnb, if we hadn't bought fun things and went out to eat. Right here at home, we could've cooked a meal, played board games, and bonded. It wasn't about the money; it was about the people. 

Finding Purpose