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Comment by ZanderEarth32 | Hacker News Reader

I am currently fine with the amount I make, even though it's pretty low for my field. I've designed my lifestyle around what I can support financially, not the other way around.

Money rarely makes people happy. Stuff that money can buy is where they find happiness.

To me, more money equals security for the future. I often struggle to buy new things, constantly rationalizing why I should save rather than spend. These types of transactions don't make me happy.

I do find happiness spending money on trips or events though, as the article indicates.

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I only spend a fraction of my current income, but I still seek more because those increases make me feel like I'm improving in my career and as a person, which is what really matters to me. It may be foolish to think that way, but it seems to be the metric our society uses.

If the amount of money you make is a reflection of improvement in oneself then our society is flawed. It makes sense that the amount of money you earn is a reflection of your skills, even though I would argue that having the freedom to choose what you work on is more of a reflection of your skills. This type of mentality where money=self worth is a misguided mentality when looking at life as a whole.

What about activities where there is opportunity for improvement but are not rewarded financially? Like playing a sport non-professionally, improving your cooking abilities, improving your relationship with others, etc.? Can improvement not be measured since money plays no role?

Can improvement not be measured since money plays no role?

I do believe you seek some kind of return in everything you do. Your job's return is money, but it doesn't necessarily have to be money.

Sports, relationships, etc. also have returns, but not in the form of money. If, for example, it is the adrenaline rush that draws you to sports, that feeling should increase as you improve. That is your payback to show that you are getting better.

So no, I don't think money necessarily has to play a role, but I think there needs to be something to show yourself that you are improving. Money just happens to be what the measure used in the workplace, as that is the primary reason for working.

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