Happiness is the Only Goal

Happiness is the Only Goal

September 10, 2018

This is usually a finance oriented blog. We talk about stuff like Options Contracts and Financial Independence, but today I wanted to talk about the only goal that all of these satellite topics contribute to: Happiness.

You see, there is NO REASON to do anything that does not make you happy. I personally derive happiness from talking/writing about finance, so I started this blog! Do what makes you happy. That does NOT have to include complicated investing techniques or stock trading. I PERSONALLY enjoy those things, but I know that some people really don't care for it. Some people just want to invest so that they can give their family a better life, they want to build wealth and achieve some level of financial freedom. (These people should read my post on index investing HERE)

I repeat, there is no reason to do anything or be around anyone that you do not derive happiness from. The goal is to maximize happiness on a day-to-day basis. And that is a much more difficult problem to solve (in my opinion) than valuing a business or picking between a Roth IRA or a traditional IRA. It is something worth sitting down and really thinking about for a long period of time.

Have you ever sat down and truly thought about what makes you happy? I mean really, have you? Or are you just going through the motions, doing things in life the way everyone expects you to do them? Do you think leasing a lamborghini will truly make you happy? Do you think mortgaging a bigger house will truly make you happy? To answer these questions, you have to evaluate your underlying values as a person. What has meaning to you? Is it your relationships or your things? Is it your time or your money?

I value my relationships with other people, and my time. I believe that I am happiest when I am surrounded by intelligent, honest, and nice people that challenge me and push my mental/physical/emotional boundaries. I save and invest my money NOT because I am a cheapo scrooge, but because I am buying my future time. By planting the seeds of investment now, I am building an investment portfolio that I will hopefully be able to live off of one day. This means there will come a day that I won't NEED to work. (I will continue to do so because I love work, but it will be on projects that I find fulfilling)

By taking what I value (relationships + time) and baking those things into my decision making criteria, it forces me to do things that make me happy. This is because the things I do are now allowing me to grow in either one or both of my values. Take this blog for example, it is an incredible relationship building machine for me. I have heard from so many friends, family, and complete strangers telling me how much they love the topics on the blog. This drives further conversation about their family, their personal goals, and we really get to know one another. I help them where I can and they help me. Those relationships are what I live for.

If you analyze this more closely, I am expending time (one of my values) to acquire quality relationships (the other one of my values). This balancing act is something that we all must partake in and is a necessary part of life. There are very few activities that will satiate the needs of all of your values. But when you do find something that does, that is your passion. For me, investing and finance in general have both done that for me. It has ticked off both of my boxes by creating an incredible friend group and provided me with the knowledge I need to purchase my own time.

Take a look in the mirror, or lay in bed and close your eyes, and think about what you truly value. Would a new Louis Vuitton bag make you happy? Or, understanding that the same $3,000 could be put to work to make you money for the rest of your life, would you rather buy your time? Would a 5,000 sq. ft. house make you happy? Or, understanding that a 30 year mortgage is basically a 30 year prison sentence to the bank, would you rather downsize and keep more of that mortgage money for yourself and your family.

Ask yourself what you want to take from this world but also be sure to ask yourself what you have to give. Knowledge? Effort? Love? Whatever it is, be sure that what you are doing every day contributes to the ultimate goal: Happiness.

MDAS

If you thought this was helpful, terrible, or somewhere in the middle, please leave me feedback in the form of a Direct Message on instagram @MakeDollarsAndSense, or feel free to send me an e-mail/text to the information on my Home Page. I truly appreciate constructive criticism and opposing views, so bring em on!

P.S. New blog posts coming your way every Monday!

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