The Facade of Wealth
Be wary of idolizing riches, or you just might lose sight of all the other valuable things life has to offer
For many, being wealthy and this version of “successful” is the goal in life. People work themselves to death, kiss any behinds necessary, and invest or save nearly every penny they can.
Don’t get me wrong, for those that strive for a level of financial comfortability, doing these things moderately — having a decent work ethic, networking, and saving/investing as needed are all very beneficial things.
Yet, many seem to take it a bit far. Especially with the “hustle culture” we currently live in, people are often pushed to neglect their personal health and potentially even exploit others (not to mention themselves).
On top of all of this, the majority of these hustlers feel the need to flaunt their money and “status” with expensive clothing, jewelry, cars, and houses. Usually taking a good chunk of their earnings in order to do so.
If you’re reading this and thinking, so what? Being rich is the dream, why not chase it and strive to be able to show off? I imagine you may be one of these people. No need to get defensive, I used to be one of these people myself.
The fact is, becoming wealthy and making sure everyone knows it will never bring you true happiness nor peace in itself. It may likely even lead to more anxiety and regret in the end.
Wealth Will Not Make You Happy
To state the obvious, this fact is seen throughout history with many “successful” people having been known to suffer from mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety while many others have sadly committed suicide.
Achieving this type of success is not a ticket straight to happiness by any means.
True happiness is found within one’s self.
Find contentment in your current state. Having more money than you know what to do with won’t make this any easier. Infinite money may solve your financial issues, sure, but these aren’t the only issues we run into throughout life, are they?
I used to always say “I’d rather be crying in a corvette than under a bridge”. Anybody would choose the corvette obviously, but there are other options are there not? Like a decent used car that you don’t need to overwork yourself and break the bank for?
My point is, I failed to see how in both situations crying was still involved. This shows how unhappiness in whatever situation happens. There is no escaping it.
It’s up to you to shift your mindset and work to improve your everyday mood. With a better mentality you will be better equipped to deal with and even enjoy everyday life, even throughout financial stress.
What Will Make You Happy?
In order to be happy with life you need to be happy with yourself. To do this you need to work on yourself. Practice establishing habits good for your mind and body such as:
- Exercising
- Meditating
- Reading
- Journaling
- Engaging in hobbies
- Occasional socializing
- Nurturing deeper connections & relationships
- Overall self care
- Truly anything that is being kind to YOU!
Try implementing these nourishing practices into your life instead of draining yourself in order to achieve the goal of being wealthy. I’m almost positive they will increase your quality of life so much more. They definitely did for me and many others.
Why Not Strive For Both?
Good question. It’s your life, if you truly wish for it then go for it. Heed my warnings before you do, however.
We’ve already established how money is not the key to happiness. We’ve gone over some good changes to make in order to obtain a higher satisfaction with life.
So why not just go for both? Okay, overachiever. I get it. I was the same.
While it’s respectable to have such belief in yourself, it’s also best to truly know yourself. You’re human. You can’t accomplish everything.
Some people were born into financial prosperity. This leaves those that were not as lucky having to work extremely hard in hopes of ever reaching such a level.
It’s not uncommon for some obsessive entrepreneurs to consistently run on a lack of food, sleep, breaks, and socialization just to stay on their grind. It’s almost impossible to reach such big dreams without making some sacrifices.
This sadly does not come without it’s potential consequences. Just to list a few:
- Burnout
- Irreplaceable time lost
- Weakened relationships
- Neglected physical and mental health
- Fear of losing what you’ve worked for
Before making this your life goal, ask yourself, is it really worth it? Is this really what I want? Or is this what hustle culture has convinced me that I want?
Can I not be happy living a simpler life not centered around my work and “chasing the bag”?
Conclusion
It’s easy to fall into the trap of the almost never-ending chase for wealth and success.
While reaching such a level would be nice, yes, I suggest considering your options a bit more before making any big sacrifices. Ask yourself why you place such an importance on achieving this type and level of success.
Nobody likes money problems, I get it. I grew up poor myself, and frankly, still barely reside above that line. I experience financial hardships frequently. I used to wish for wealth due to these things.
Still, something you need to realize is this is not the key to happiness. The idea that rich people live such truly richer lives is nothing but a facade. They experience unhappiness, depression, anxiety, and other mental issues all the same. Some even more so.
Think about this before you put your all into reaching such high goals. There’s nothing wrong with wanting money as it is a necessity in life, but maybe set more realistic goals. Maybe be a little less hard on yourself.
Shoot for about just what you need and then some. Place higher importance on your mental and physical health, your relationships, your fun time. Place higher importance on YOU. Not just money.
As always, a quote:
“Money cannot purchase joy. It buys temporary distractions.” – LeCrae
