Here are some upgrades I’ve made since getting a job.
My sleeping mattress increased 10x, from $200 to $2000.
My rent price increased 5x, from $500/m to $2500/m.
My living expense increased 3x, from $1500/m to $4500/m.
Does it really make me happier? Perhaps, with a fleeting dopamine hit. Not much, as time passes.
I remember the distress of selling my Car, a nice Volvo, at an unfair price due to my inability to maintain it, more vividly than the thrill of purchasing it. And I haven’t bought a car since.
I moved out of San Francisco last year. Surprisingly, what sticks in my head is not its renowned tech culture and iconic scenery, but the sudden burst of disappointment that arose from nowhere when I was packing my luggage. It sucks to not live up to your expectation in an ambitious city.
Excitement fades, but scars last.
Reflecting on this, Morgan Housel’s words resonate deeply with me. In his article “What Makes You Happy”, he observes:
A weird thing in life is that everyone strives for a good life because they think it will make them happy. But what actually brings happiness is the contrast between what you have now and whatever you were just doing. The best drink you will ever taste is a glass of tap water when you’re thirsty. The best food you will ever eat is fast food when you’re starving. The best massage you will ever feel is sitting on a couch after a long run. The best sleep you will ever experience is when your newborn finally sleeps through the night.
Remember that life is a picture, but we live in a pixel.