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Comment by tmp092 | Hacker News Reader

FWIW I became $500k richer this year and my happiness has not changed a bit. Same highish functioning depression.

But purely see money as something that gives you options to do more things, not as something that allows me to buy a yacht, car, or McMansion. But I suffer from the paradox of choice and get anxious over feeling like I'm not making the right choices.

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You could try this book. It's pretty simple "common sense" stuff but if you read it and follow the instructions it actually does work. It basically cured my depression without meds. Kind of a pita to follow but really does work: https://www.amazon.com/Depression-Cure-6-Step-Program-withou...

^ was recommended to me by a coworker and I was really skeptical but super happy I tried it. GL!

Since you have options why don't you quit what you're doing, leave the place that you're living, and focus 100% on fixing your quality of life?

There are no "right choices." If you take some risks, then maybe one of those risks combined with timing and luck will result in the outcome you desire.

That must be a fantastic problem to have!

Every single goal you have is just the next step on a ladder, as soon as you hit it there will be another one. You'll forget you even worked to get there, and focus on the next step, thinking "ah if only I were there, I'd be happy". It never stops, it gets increasingly harder and depressing unless you are aware of it. As far as I can tell a lot of people never understand that until very late in their life.

Most people in the world are living with way less than what you have, it's just a matter of perspective. If you think material things will help you feel better you're plain wrong. As long as you have food, a roof over your head and some sort of community you're good to go.

The book of Ecclesiastes from (what Christians call) the Old Testament focuses on this very thing.

Short summary: https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oldtestament/section12/

There is only another step if you create one for yourself. If you set yourself a goal e.g $1m in savings and I can retire, and achieve it, there is no reason not to quit and enjoy it, except for yourself

I think a big component of happiness is security. At my current rate of savings I don't have that as much as most people I know.

Donate 100k to an open source project so they can fund a developer to work full time on it for a year.

Same problem here.

2019 is also looking like it will be another incredible year.

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