To be truly happy we need to focus on quality – on the region of overlap.To be truly happy, we need to be pushing these circles closer and not spend energy on necessarily making them bigger. Makes sense?
—Maya, A Simple Happiness Equation
I think there’s a lot of truth to that picture and quote. What do you think?
I doubt the place of money. It is largely irrelevant to happiness once the basics are covered. Even huge windfalls the size of lotteries make little difference to happiness after a few months.
I agree with the conclusion, but disagree that all the three circles have to be of equal dimension.
Evan,
The point is we need enough money so we don’t have to worry about it and can focus on other aspects of our lives.
Rummuser,
I agree that the circles don’t have to be the same size. I also believe there needs to be one for health. But I think Maya makes a good point.
I don’t know, Jean. You are always good for a challenge.
Don’t talk to me about money. Fucked up big time in the last three years after having lived life of Riley. Can’t get a leg up in wake of two accidents in 24 months. Time. Give it time. Wish I could succumb to a “Sugar Daddy”. I can’t. What’s wrong with me? Plenty of women prostitute themselves in the fight for survival. Why can’t I?
Anyway. You ask – as usual – what do you think (of the quote). Not a lot to be frank. It’s hot air. Better concentrate on “quality”.
Your x,
U
It’s probably right. I do agree that money is important for happiness. I know that things are not the way I would wish them to be in my life. But I’m still happy.
I will have to think about this…
Ursula,
Yes, it’s easy to say that money isn’t important…unless you don’t have any. I think one reason the graph has value is because it points that out. But mainly I got a lot out of it because I spent a lot of time seeing how it applied to my life so far. Anything that stirs up that much thinking in me is not “hot air” in my book. 🙂
gaelikaa,
My guess is it’s your attitude that makes the difference. Good for you!
Cathy,
It’s just food for thought. Hope you enjoy thinking about it as much as I did.
I get 9 degrees of freedom out of this and a number of constraint equations. The computers shouldn’t be too strained to solve this. In my experience, relationships that don’t involve money but last a long time are of higher quality and provide more satisfaction than relationships that do involve money.
Looney,
I think you’re probably right in general. But one group I worked with over twenty years ago still has occasional reunions. That’s a rare exception, I think.
Money is good…I guess but I have so little of it that it really isn’t part of my personal happiness
Relationships…is something I don’t readily do either. I have fleeting relationships that come and go – often as fast they arrive!
Unless of course, we are talking about my relationship to with myself which probably closer to everything thing
I’m mostly happy with things except when i’m (deeply but fleetingly) unhappy – yesterday, last night was one of those periods. I was telling a friend about something that I wanted to do – that I had imagined I would do with my future and I got a very negative response which shot me down as if I had been stabbed…
Today, I’ve resigned my internal system to now “not say anything about my proposed future” and will just get on with doing it…too bad if it isn’t what my friends/peers/contacts want me to do!
So it’s WIP and when and if I can be ever bothered will say what it is…i.e. when it’s underway and NO ONE can say “well I don’t think that is a good idea”
Cathy,
The main thing about money is to have enough so you can do what’s meaningful to you. I sympathize with the “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” I heard that a lot when I was younger and did what you’re proposing, not talk about my plans. I’m a good listener so listened to other people and gave myself the support I needed. Good for you!