Some random thoughts;

I have been very happy most of my life and consider myself lucky. Lately, some tough times and too many choices have made me discontent.
For me - I think the idea of a gratitude journal could get me back to the “glass half full” attitude that would work well for me. I suspect this is one of the great benefits of religious traditions of daily gratitude.

Another factor i think worth bearing in mind is the age of people you are interviewing.
If you survey 30 year olds, you will probably find they are working too hard and kids are making them more stressed than their single friends who are also 30. But interview 60 year olds, and the single ones may regret never having kids. The 60 year old early workaholics with grown up families may be of on a trip with their gray haired partner - and glad they slaved all those years to get there.
So without wanting to sound contrary to the drive of this post - Short term unhappiness, for some, might still lead to greater life satisfaction overall - all be it offset in time.

Thanks for the great post.

I have always been an advocate of live your life, not your work. Too often people trap themselves in their career. They tragically lose themselves in it, losing their true identity, family, sense of being realistic… their happiness. I always say that you cant take care of someone else if you cant take care of yourself. If you work to live and/or become so miserable with your work that it impedes on your personal life…where do you find yourself? Constantly unhappy and always stressing yourself and the people around you out. It is a lot of wear and tear on your mind and your body and its unfair to everyone else (whoever they may be). And who wants to be a Debbie Downer because they’re unhappy with what they do? I maintain that your work should not become your personal life (unless if that what really makes you happy). Its difficult but people need to at least find a middle ground between life and work… where happiness is incorporated in their lives. My test for happiness: When someone asks me how I am doing, I can say good and truly mean it.

Hmm, go into debt to wreck the system? I guess getting a good job to do your part to help make the system better just doesn’t quite have the same romance to it. And there was a great column today by N. Kristol in the NY Times that highlighted several social entrepreneurs doing their part to make the world a better place. If the system is so wrecked, why aren’t you one of those people trying to make a difference?

As for the money question, it is all relative. It depends on the life you want to live and where you want to live it. I’m in S. Cal, to afford a house and indulge interests like traveling, food and wine, actually paying the artist for music I download, Laker games and and everything else that makes life more enjoyable; it certainly costs more than $40K a year. And I would certainly be less happy without all those extras or without having the extra money to donate to the causes I believe in. In Orange County, $40K qualifies you for affordable housing; in Santa Barbara, a six figure salary does.