What is happiness? It’s having inner peace. That implies you did the inner work. Not chasing fame or fortune but rather, internally, you are at peace with yourself. You look back in the mirror and say ‘rock on man, you make your own choices and you follow your own journey.’ That’s power and fulfillment. So many people are chasing fame or money and when they get it, they have no happiness. They went after something society said would make you happy but society is just programming your to work and work and work rather than go inward and work on yourself. Working on inner peace is so unsexy but so critical for a happy human life.
There will ALWAYS be someone with more money or fame. Always. That metric doesn’t matter. A economic data point that does matter is if you’re financially free or not. That requires money, but not as much as you would think.
Financial freedom is the only data metric that matters. Chasing more and more wealth for the sake of more digits in your net worth will cause you to waste your time. Then when you’re older, and hopefully wiser, you’ll realize your life’s ladder was leaning on the wrong wall.
If you’re not happy, then what the hell are you really doing? The life isn’t meant to be miserable pursuing wealth or fame. It’s meant to be enjoyed from a place of peace.
I see it over and over again from competitive people. These folks have to make more money than their peers. Go on more elaborate trips. Date hotter people. If they aren’t beating other people they are a loser. I think this is very harmful thinking. I’m all for competition bringing out the best in people but when it destroys your inner peace, you lose.
Seek peace and financial freedom.