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Immeasurable emotions: Simply put, happiness (and success) must happen. They cannot be measured in numbers, and therefore, impossible to guarantee. On the flip side, however, both are what many of us innately desire, and often how we compare ourselves to others. You might wonder: Is their career/retirement/investment account more successful than mine? But the reality is, success is a fleeting feeling, not a fact, and there will always be someone else you perceive as having a higher “score card” than you.

Beyond the data: It was Viktor Frankl’s belief that you are most likely to enjoy the fruits of your labor if you’re laboring on behalf of something or someone other than yourself. As such, happiness is also found in being part of something that is beyond you. This isn’t to say that the quantitative measures you view in relation to your financial life (investable assets, rate of return, etc.) do not hold value, but instead, that they should be connected and attached to something more meaningful in your life (i.e: Your purpose).

Focus on you + your purpose: Your happiness should be independent of the financial successes of those around you. Tying meaning to your financial life is the key.