You Can't Buy Fulfillment

This week, we dive into part three of our four-part series on The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton, examining what the ancient Greek philosopher, Epicurus, can teach us about the relationship between wealth and happiness…

🎯 The Idea In a Nutshell:

• Wealth can improve life up to a point, but it can’t create true happiness.

• Once our basic needs are met, wealth’s impact on our contentment begins to flatten out

• Epicurus argued that freedom, living thoughtfully, and most of all, friendships, are the truly necessary ingredients for a fulfilled life

• In our quest for material comforts and social status, we too often overlook the simple power of living a reflective life and fostering meaningful relationships.

📝 Diving Deeper

It’s easy to slip into the mindset that more money will solve our problems. A bigger house. A nicer car. A luxury vacation. These goals seem to promise happiness just over the next hill.

It’s also tempting to attribute these materialistic impulses to our modern consumerist condition. But in fact, the struggle is timeless; the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus wrote about it over 2,000 years ago.

Today, the term “Epicurean” is associated with indulgences; in actuality, his stance on wealth was nuanced and worth understanding. Essentially, he argued that beyond a certain point — namely, satisfying our base needs — the impact of wealth on our happiness diminishes rapidly.

Reasonable minds can challenge Epicurus here. Providing for a family goes far beyond meeting our basic needs. Raising kids means paying for braces, school supplies, sports fees, college savings, if we’re lucky enough, the occasional vacation. These are not frivolous indulgences; they’re part of building a rich and meaningful family life. And they cost real money.

But Epicurius's goal was not to reject wealth altogether; he wanted instead to help us think more clearly about its role in our lives. Moreover, he would implore us to ensure that the pursuit of wealth doesn’t come at the expense of factors that contribute in much deeper ways to lasting fulfillment — freedom, purpose, and, above all, friendships.

Strive to build the life you want, even if that life includes more abundance. But don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. The pursuit of material success can easily overshadow what actually matters most: your friendships, your family, and your sense of connection to a deeper purpose.

👉 Why it matters:

• Understanding wealth’s limited power to bring true fulfillment promotes a life of greater balance.

• We can continue to aim for professional success while rooting these efforts in a bigger vision.

• Prioritizing meaningful relationships and living in line with your values and purpose ensures you don’t sacrifice what matters most in pursuit of material success.

🤔 Prompts for Reflection

• How much time and energy are you putting into your pursuit of financial goals?

• Are you doing it for the right reasons?

• How might you benefit from putting more effort into reflective practices and cultivating relationships?

Make today impactful,
~Jason

PS - This was part three in a four-part series; if you missed the first two editions, check them out below:

• Toughen Up

• The Expectation Trap