Money, happiness, or both?
They say that money doesn't bring happiness. They also say that it's better to cry in a Jaguar—or whatever luxury car you want to name—than on a bus. Both truths exist at the same time, and neither statement is absolutely wrong or right.
I am inclined to think that the phrase "money does not bring happiness" is repeated by two groups of people: on the one hand, it is repeated by people who have money, while on the other hand, it is heard from the mouths of those who are struggling financially. It is easy to downplay the importance of money if you have more than a robber baron. I would argue that such statements are an attempt to downplay one's own wealth, as wealthy people are easy targets for hatred. On the other hand, downplaying the importance of money is also a way to feel superior to the wealthy and see them as superficial euro chasers. Superficial Croesus Pennos who have no other purpose in life than to stare at their bank balance and increase it. And who isn't familiar with the narrative that the everyday life of a family struggling financially is remarkably happy despite their poverty? Admittedly, in such cases people learn to find joy and happiness in small things, which is important in itself.
And it's true, money itself does not bring happiness. Money and the wealth it can bring provide security and a safety net to fall back on when life takes a turn for the worse. Of course, money also allows you to experience and see new things and collect memories. In this sense, money is a tool that can be used to pursue moments of happiness. An enabler. Some might argue that "true" happiness is not found in such moments, but rather in the balance of the heart and soul. What so-called true happiness is for each individual is a completely different discussion, one on which there will never be consensus.
One of the few life lessons my late father shared with me has stayed with me: there are no pockets in a shroud. We can't take anything with us when we pass from this life to the next, and we all forget this many times as we go about our daily lives. Earning and acquiring money often becomes an end in itself, as large sums in the bank make people more greedy. It is no longer a question of how much money you have, but how much more you can get. I dare say that wealth can also make people stingy, turning money itself into an object of enjoyment.
However, I think that for many entrepreneurs who have made a profitable exit, the sum of money that has landed in their account does not bring earth-shattering feelings of happiness. Perhaps even the opposite, because they have just given up the company they built piece by piece, year after year. For many entrepreneurs, a company is like a child they love because they have given it their all. In entrepreneurship, the goal is certainly extremely important at first, because the company was founded for a reason, but over the years, the journey itself, the effort, and overcoming the challenges it brings become important.
If not the most important factor, why else would so many entrepreneurs invest the money they receive from an exit into a new or even several new companies? The amount of money a person has should not be a determining factor in their life. It does not guarantee happiness, just as being poor does not guarantee unhappiness. I myself have been happy both as a student with few resources and as a slightly wealthier entrepreneur, and in neither case was the amount of money a determining factor in my happiness. The most important factor was the people around me.
“They say money can’t buy happiness. They also say it’s better to cry in a Jaguar – or whatever luxury car you want to name here – than on a bus. Both truths exist at the same time, and neither statement is absolutely wrong or right.”
Pastor