Make More Money Than Your Peers

Ridiculous!

How can open success that stands heads and shoulders above the success of your peers make you happy?

My house is bigger, my car sleeker, my country club membership more exclusive than yours friends! That gives me such a thrill, secret hidden thrill but a thrill nonetheless.

Ridiculous but true.

In "Count Your Blessings" I highlighted as one of my key blessings, the friends/peers that inspire you and make you strive to become better than you are. The inspiration given by your peers is quite different from the inspiration given you by a mentor/older person/parent.

Peer inspiration actually gives you a clear and present standard to measure yourself against, a standard that is current and subject to all the same challenges, opportunities and failures of your own personal situation.

And doesn't it feel good when you come out ahead of them?

And yet the caveat here is that your peers BE successful. There is no use (or fun) comparing yourself to someone who is so out of (beneath) your class! Because the 'feel-good' factor disappears and rather than secretly gloat at your edge, you become embarrassed at the gulf between you.

There is no satisfaction in flaunting your material wealth in front of someone who isn't similarly blessed. Rather than flaunt, you probably become even apologetic for it, or even worse you rub their noses in it. (Chances are that they are 'happier' and more satisfied anyway). I am happy to report that no one I call 'friend' has such a mean terrible streak in them. I think.

So this is a clarion call to all my peers. Make lots of money so I can make just that little more. And if it's the other way round... well... consider it my contribution to your happiness index!

PS
I am moving from my swanky city centre apartment into a proper house. (Two,) three bedroom house with a garden, picket fence and off-street parking. God Help Me!