In Chapter 7 of The Psychology of Money, Morgan Housel challenges a common belief: that more money leads to more happiness. Despite being wealthier than ever, many Americans feel more stressed, not less. Why? Because they lack control over their time.
Housel explains that money’s greatest value is its ability to buy freedom—the freedom to choose how you spend your day and align your life with what truly matters. But instead of using wealth for freedom, many people use it to buy more stuff, which often leads to more debt, more stress, and less time freedom.
Modern “thinking jobs” blur work-life boundaries, causing stress to spill into personal time. And as Housel notes, no one at the end of their life says happiness came from maximizing income. Instead, fulfillment comes from purpose, relationships, and time well spent.
At Provista Wealth, we help clients align their wealth with their values, using money as a tool to live better—not just earn more.