More Happiness in Giving!

As a self-employed web designer for more than ten years, I have worked with many new and aspiring entrepreneurs. Some are determined to acquire great wealth, others simply want to earn a comfortable income while having time for more meaningful goals in life. What role does our income play in achieving happiness?

"Money makes you happy—if you give it away," reads a headline in The Globe and Mail of Canada. Although most people surveyed predicted that spending on themselves would make them happier, those who used their money to help others—regardless of the amount spent—actually reported greater happiness. "Wealth is not a predictor of happiness, study after study has shown," says the newspaper. "Once people have enough money to meet their basic needs, getting more of it doesn't give them much of a boost."