Somehow I stumbled on this article yesterday from WSJ. It’s from 2010, so adjusting for inflation I guess today it would be about $100k per year.
The most I ever made in one year … and one year ONLY … was $155,000. The previous year, I swear to god, I made $40k. Once again being totally honest, I felt no difference whatsoever with happiness between the two years …. although I certainly felt a lot less pressure in the better year.
One of the happiest years I can recall was my first year as a computer programmer at northAmerican van Lines. I had my OWN office cubicle, a desk, a fancy schmancy computer terminal, and an electric stapler. It was the first time I had my name engraved on a shiny piece of blue plastic. And my boss introduced me to my users, the Fuel & Permits Department as “Mr. Stucky, your new programmer.” That was in 1980, and my salary (for working 60 hours a week) was $19,000 … NOT a lot of money even in ’79, but I was happy as a pig in shit.
With the Big Moolah I was making at NAVL, I was able to get rid of my 1975 Capri (which I could barely fit in), and bought a super low miles green with black roof 1971 Catalina Brougham. A fuckin’ enormous car, and I was happy as shit simply cuz my head didn’t hit the roof and my knees no longer banged against the dashboard! This one …
It’s never, ever been about money, for me. In fact, the more I made, the unhappier I became, because I made the fatal mistake of always buying more shit; a bigger or nicer house (7 or 8 times), fancier cars, and toys (motorcycle, electronics, etc etc). That only ultimately led to misery, actually. I hope you young people here don’t fall for that trap.
Sooooo …. what salary/income would raise you to a Happy Happy Joy Joy state of mind?
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The Perfect Salary for Happiness: $75,000
Continue reading “Stucky Question #13: What INCOME Would Make You Happy?”
