There was a time when my monthly income was in the hundreds of millions. Every day, I worked 10-12 hours, and at night I just surfed my phone and quietly fell asleep.
Surfing the internet to hunt for sales has become a habit of many young people today - Photo: YEN TRINH
One weekend, I sat down for coffee with an old friend. The conversation revolved around work and life, and finally ended with the question: "How much money do you think you need to earn each month to live, or at least to feel happy?"
High income but still worried?
My friend has a pretty high income but still worries about the future. I'm not surprised by this. Because often, even when we reach our dream salary, we still feel that it's not enough.
So, how much money is enough for young people to live in the city without worry?
More than ten years ago, when I first graduated, I received a starting salary of 8.6 million VND/month. At that time, I thought: "15 million VND is probably enough to live comfortably."
When I reached that level, I found that 30 million VND was the ideal number. And when I met people who earned 50-100 million VND/month, I asked myself: "Am I earning too little?".
We often unintentionally set higher and higher standards, influenced by many people around us and social networks.
When someone brags about their trip to Europe, buying a new car, or buying a luxury house, everyone tells themselves: "I also have to try harder."
So I threw myself into work, under heavy pressure, but eventually realized that higher income did not mean less worry.
I used to believe that having a lot of money meant happiness. But that's not necessarily true.
Lots of money but no time to spend it. Good at making money but poor health. High salary but stressful, disorienting job.
Nobel Prize-winning economist Daniel Kahneman has studied the “income saturation point.” He found that after reaching a comfortable income level, earning more money no longer has much of an impact on happiness.
That is, once you have enough money to pay for a stable life, the rest is mainly to create a sense of security, not necessarily to make you happier.
But why do wages increase but we still feel inadequate? I think part of it is consumerism.
Have you ever bought something expensive, felt happy for a few days, and then it became normal?
It's called the "adaptation effect," where people tend to quickly get used to what they have, then want something better.
Before the iPhone, we just needed a phone to make calls. But after we had the iPhone, we wanted a newer, better model.
When I was still riding a motorbike, I thought having a car would be great. But after buying one, I realized I needed a more luxurious car. This cycle never stops unless we know our limits.
Work hard, have money but still empty
Many young people, including me, have fallen into a state of being busy but empty.
There was a time when my monthly income was hundreds of millions. Every day I worked 10-12 hours, at night I just surfed my phone and quietly fell asleep.
And so, I asked myself: Am I really living, or just surviving?
I used to think that only when I achieved big things, I would feel happy. But it turns out, the little things are what make me happy every day.
Happiness doesn’t have to come from luxuries. It can be a leisurely morning with a cup of aromatic coffee, a delicious meal with loved ones, or an afternoon spent wandering the streets without rushing.
If you hate your current job, you should find a way to connect it to a larger goal.
For example, if you are an office worker, you might think that this job gives you financial stability to do what you love.
I find it interesting that people who spend time helping others are often happier. Because helping someone with a small task makes life feel more valuable, or when spending money on family, makes money feel more meaningful.
Income level is not the determining factor in comfort in life.
Knowing how to allocate and use money wisely, spending economically and prioritizing essential needs will make life easier.
Psychologist Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology, has given factors that help people be truly happy, such as: Positive life, enjoying small joys; Connection, doing meaningful things.
Cover basic living expenses (housing, food, transportation, insurance); Have savings so you don't worry about the future; Have enough money to enjoy hobbies, travel, and experiences; Don't feel weighed down by financial pressure every day...
How much income is enough?
The answer is not in the number, each person has a different level of "enough".
In my opinion, knowing enough is enough. There is a saying that "the rich are not the ones who earn the most money, but the ones who know enough".
But at any rate, the most important thing is to make money without letting money control your life. A desirable life is not measured by income, but by the balance between work, health and happiness.
Because after all, money is just a tool, how we use it determines our life.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/thu-nhap-ca-tram-trieu-moi-thang-toi-van-thay-trong-rong-vi-sao-20250218094001593.htm
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