When you have no money, more money is the answer... and when you have money, more time is the answer. There's just one glaring problem: You can't buy time.

Life has this weird way of leaving many perpetually dissatisfied, and we are notoriously terrible at recognizing what we want out of life.

For whatever reason, we never seem to have enough. We never have the right things, and we always want something we don't have. It's quite an interesting cycle watching people chase this next thing, because despite overwhelming evidence, those who are the least happy are seemingly unable to also recognize that they are terrible at determining what will actually make them happy.

As an observer, it's easy to see what's missing among others, but it's hard to reflect upon yourself.

What do you value? What do I value?

If you could list out the characteristics of what you value, could you do it? Naming things like family, friends, and relationships is too easy. Skip those and see if you can do it. 

When I say value, I mean can you identify a common theme among the things you enjoy the most. If you can do that, perhaps focusing on those things will make you happier. 

Longevity: Nothing makes me more angry than owning something that doesn't last a long time. My favorite feature about a car is how long will it last. I want to buy things once and never buy them again.

Mobility: I like being able to be where I want to be. I like having time to myself. I don't like having my presence required. I don't like meetings because I have to be there. I don't like going to the airport, because I'm captive in the line and in the building. I like being able to move about as I see fit. That's why I tend to drive to where I need to be. Not because I can't afford to fly... but because when it comes time to eat where I want to eat and go where I want to go, I like doing it on my terms.

Utility: I like things that serve a purpose. The more purpose the better. Purpose follows the laws of diminishing returns. If you don't have a jacket, that jacket serves a huge purpose and keeps you warm. If you get a 2nd jacket, one of those jackets has less utility. Add a third, and you might find one of those jackets in the back of your closet for years. I don't like to own things I don't use. I value utility.

Memory: The final thing I value is something doing memorable things. New experiences, new foods, new places, new ways to travel, new shows to see. I like doing things that I will remember fondly.

I tried long and hard to think of something else but that's it. Those are the characteristics of things and experiences that I value, and I believe, that personal happiness is based on your ability to focus on these values to make yourself as happy as possible.

To test your value system, put some of life's major decisions through this test, and it will help determine how much money you need to earn in a lifetime to meet these needs.

Car: I drive a Subaru and it's my second one. It's the base model too. I purposely got the cheapest Forrester I could get. The cars last over 150k miles without problem, easily get me to the snow or the beach without challenge, does all of the things I want a car to do including drive long haul with great mileage, and it takes me everywhere I need to be. 

However, the car I think is the coolest is the Tesla Y. I love everything about that car's technology, ecological principles, acceleration, performance... you name it, I think a Tesla Y is the baddest car on the market. 

"So you must not be able to afford it." - Some dude

It would be painful, but yes, I can afford a Tesla Y, but I know myself, so I won't buy it. Tesla Y's have poor consumer report maintenance reports. Ok, that violates longevity. Also, the battery has a limited capacity and costs a fortune to replace. Definitely violates longevity. I would hate that car and myself for having it the day it gave me these problems. 

The car can get me everywhere in the short run, but it's terrible for long haul driving. I don't want to be beholden to battery charge and charging stations because I don't want to wait for my car. I want to gas and go. This violates mobility. 

Utility... it's not clear to me I would be able to do more things than my Subaru and since it definitively costs 3x my subie, I would expect it to unlock 3x as many things. It doesn't. Therefore, the car brings me no utility. 

The memories made from this car would be exceptional. I think I would enjoy driving it fast. Seeing it charge. Feeling the pride in ownership. But alas, there is only 1 value it checks and 3 it violates. 

I don't buy the car. 

I run all of my decisions from a simple hoodie to a house through these 4 value systems. From where I will go to visit, Pavones and Bali, to the places I won't, Burning Man or New York City. Even my job. If the job interferes with these principles, I don't do it. Especially mobility. Any job that requires my presence, even digitally, becomes a nuisance. I actively seek roles that don't' require me to be around... and I can legit say, I think I'm happier for it. 

Give it a try. What's your value system? The more things in your life that meet your value system, the more likely you have achieved personal success. At least I hope so.