When you work hard every single day, you have to make certain your money is well spent. Spend your funds on what will make you happy.
The Power of Experiences
Experiences—as fleeting as they may be—deliver more-lasting happiness than things!
Here’s why:
Experiences become a part of our identity.
We are not our possessions, but we are the accumulation of everything we’ve seen, the things we’ve done, and the places we’ve been. Buying an Apple Watch isn’t going to change who you are; taking a break from work to hike a Peneda-Gerês Trail from start to finish most certainly will.
Comparisons matter little.
We don’t compare experiences in the same way that we compare things. It’s hard to quantify the relative value of any two experiences, which makes them that much more enjoyable.
Anticipation matters.
Anticipation of an experience causes excitement and enjoyment, while anticipation of obtaining a possession causes impatience. Experiences are enjoyable from the very first moments of planning, all the way through to the memories you cherish forever.
Experiences are fleeting (which is a good thing).
Have you ever bought something that wasn’t nearly as cool as you thought it would be? Once you buy it, it’s right there in your face, reminding you of your disappointment. And even if a purchase does meet your expectations, buyer’s remorse can set in: “Sure, it’s cool, but it probably wasn’t worth the money.” We don’t do that with experiences. The very fact that they last for only a short time is part of what makes us value them so much, and that value tends to increase as time passes.
Bringing It All Together
The temporary happiness achieved by buying things can be attributed to “puddles of pleasure.” In other words, that kind of happiness evaporates quickly and leaves us wanting more. Things may last longer than experiences, but the memories that linger are what matter most.
