Why Success Is Overrated

In 2024, Bankrate released a fascinating—and honestly, sobering—study: Americans believe they need an average income of $186,000 per year to feel financially secure. That’s more than double the actual average full-time income in the U.S., which sits at around $79,000. Even more striking? To feel “rich,” most respondents said they’d need to earn at least $520,000 per year. We think, if I just had more—more money, more prestige, more success—I’d feel content. But somehow, once we reach the next milestone, the satisfaction slips through our fingers. It never seems to be enough.