Money and Happiness

At the beach in Jesolo, there is no need to do anything. But you can, for example, think. About happiness and money. And whether money alone truly makes people happy. A question that is discussed seriously time and again, while at the same time being met with a smile. Money must contribute to happiness, otherwise the word “alone” would not be there. Yet the saying also reminds us that a fulfilling life requires more than plain old money.

Long-term studies show that having a certain level of financial security does contribute to happiness. Someone who struggles every day to put food on the table for their family has little time left for happiness. Because happiness is never a permanent state. It can only shine when contrasted with worries and life’s challenges. But for it to shine, there need to be periods of calm away from the daily struggle for survival.

A Shield Against Misfortune

Large fortunes are rarely fully consumed. At some point, material desires are satisfied, and additional possessions no longer increase well-being. There would be no private banks without excess wealth waiting to be managed and grown.

Wealth, however, is not decorative sugar coating. It is security in the face of an uncertain future. It increases resilience, keeping a shield against adversity at the ready.

Occasionally, money is taken out, for example to finance a child’s education or a first home. Yet thanks to the power of compound interest, the dent is usually repaired quickly.

Sometimes Less Is More

Wealth that remains invisible is often the result of a conscious decision to forgo luxury. Fewer properties, fewer vehicles, less five-star extravagance, less, less, less.

Because the timeless rule for building and preserving wealth remains the same: spend less than you earn. It applies from the first paycheck all the way to entrepreneurial profits at their highest levels.