Will you ever be content?

In 2014, a Harvard Business School professor surveyed the wealthiest clients of a large investment bank. He wanted to find out if their riches had brought them a greater level of happiness and contentment than the less wealthy. So he asked these wealthy clients how happy they were now — and if having more money would make them happier.

The response was overwhelming: they believed three times more than what they currently had would make them happy.

Those with $1 million wanted $3 million.
Those with $10 million wanted $30 million.
Those with $1 billion wanted $3 billion.

And so on.

No matter how much they had, they just needed more.

When we’re little, we can’t wait to start school. Then we can’t wait to be a teenager. Then we’re eager to start college. A different smartphone. Then onto a job. We can’t wait to get married. Onto a different job. Always something else. Always something better.

We’re quick to ask ourselves this question: what’s next? But we’re slow to reflect: have any of those “what’s next” things truly delivered on the happiness they promised? As Ken Boa puts it, “If you’re not content with what you have, you will never be content with what you want.”

What will it take for you to find contentment with what you have now?

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