Professor Bob Waldinger

And it was one of the hardest things I ever did.

And it was boring.

And it was infuriating.

It was all those things.

And it was absolutely joyous.

And my friends who didn't have children got to do much more travel.

They got to take other career opportunities that I wouldn't take.

So it's not that one is better than the other.

They're really different life choices.

Yeah.

Well, that's complicated.

So it depends on where you're starting from.

We know that if you don't have your basic needs met,

making more money will make you happier.

So, like, right, if you don't have food security, if you don't have stable housing, if you don't have good access to healthcare, if you can't educate your children in good schools, that makes you unhappy.

So...

If you make more money till you get to the point where you can meet all those needs, that's hugely important for happiness.

But then getting the second home, getting the flashier car, buying the boat, they can make you happier, but they don't really make you feel like you've hit the jackpot.

Exactly.

Exactly.