Chapter Content
Okay, so, uh, let's talk about something that's been on my mind lately, and it's all about this idea of "enough." Like, what *is* enough? You know? It's a big question, right?
I remember reading this story, it was about Kurt Vonnegut and his friend Joseph Heller, the guy who wrote "Catch-22." They were at some party at a billionaire's house, and Vonnegut was like, "Hey Joe, doesn't it kinda stink that this dude probably made more money yesterday than 'Catch-22' has made its entire life?" And Heller just calmly replied, "I've got something he can never have... the knowledge that I've got enough."
Wow. Right? I mean, that just kinda hits you. What does that even *mean*, though? Like, what's so special about knowing you have enough? Why would that be worth more than, you know, *billions* of dollars?
Well, I think it's because if you *don't* have that knowledge, you're basically stuck in this constant, never-ending chase for "more." You're always wanting the next thing. There's this quote, I think it was from John D. Rockefeller, and he was asked how much money is enough. And he said, "Just a little bit more." So true, isn't it?
It's like... remember that Greek myth about Sisyphus? He had to push this boulder up a hill, and every time he got to the top, it would roll back down, and he had to start all over again. That's what chasing "more" feels like. You work and work to get something, and then, poof! It's not enough anymore. You need the *next* thing.
It’s like, you long for that new car, and then you get it, and suddenly you’re dreaming about upgrading to something even fancier. Or that bigger house, or that fancy watch… it just never ends. And sometimes, people will even, like, wreck their health or their relationships chasing after that next promotion or that next big score. It's kinda crazy when you think about it.
Mark Twain even wrote a letter to Cornelius Vanderbilt, who was, like, the richest dude around back then, and he basically said, "Poor Vanderbilt! I feel sorry for you, man! You're so busy chasing money that you can't even enjoy your life." It's not about what you *have*; it’s about being *satisfied* with what you have. That's the real wealth.
You see these billionaires who have all this money, but a lot of them are, like, divorced or miserable. They won the money battle, but they lost the war for happiness, you know? And there are stories of people who risked everything to get even richer, and then, like, lost it all. They wind up in jail! It’s wild.
Now, I'm not saying that wanting to achieve things is bad. The world needs people who are driven and push boundaries, that's cool. But it’s the *pressure* to always want *more* that can really mess you up. Society kinda celebrates the chase, right? And if you're happy with "enough," people might think you're lazy or unambitious. But, your worth isn't tied to your bank account. You get to decide what's important. You can choose to focus on things like time, relationships, purpose, and health.
So, what's the answer? It’s defining what "enough" means *to you*.
There's this Swedish word, "lagom." It means "just the right amount." It's that feeling of balance and equilibrium. But the tricky thing is, "lagom" keeps moving. As you get closer to achieving it, your expectations go up, and you need even *more*. You go from, "I'll be happy when I have [X] dollars" to "I'll be happy when I have triple [X] dollars." It's a subconscious thing, a moving target. And it'll prevent you from ever feeling true financial wealth.
Now, there's no perfect solution to this because our brains are kinda wired to want more. But just by thinking about what "enough" really means to you, you can bring it into your conscious mind, where you can actually consider it.
I remember after my son was born, I started thinking about what my "Enough Life" would look like. Like, where do I live? What do I have? What am I doing with my time? How much of a financial safety net do I need?
And the "Enough Life" doesn't have to be boring or simple. It can be as ambitious as you want. My "Enough Life" includes a vacation home where I can hang out with family and friends, but it doesn't include, like, private jets or yachts. It's *my* definition. And it's not influenced by what society thinks I should want. Write it down. Keep it in mind.
Then, you can work towards that, and once you reach that point, you can shift your focus to other things that are important: your time, your relationships, your purpose, your health.
There’s this great parable about it. There’s an investment banker who goes on vacation and meets a fisherman, and the banker’s like, “Why don’t you fish longer and catch more fish?” And the fisherman says, “I catch enough! I sleep late, I fish a little, I hang out with my family, I drink wine with my friends…” And the banker’s like, “No, no, no! You need to build an empire! You’ll become a CEO! You’ll make millions!” And the fisherman’s like, “And then what?” And the banker goes, “Well, then you can retire and sleep late, fish a little, hang out with your family, and drink wine with your friends!” And the fisherman just smiles because that’s what he’s already doing.
It's not necessarily that the fisherman is right and the banker is wrong. It’s about defining what success looks like *to you*. What’s important *to you*.
Maybe both the fisherman and the banker are happy, who knows?
There was this line in the movie "Cool Runnings," where the coach says, "A gold medal is a wonderful thing, but if you're not enough without it, you'll never be enough with it."
If you're always waiting for the next financial milestone to be happy, you're gonna be waiting forever. “I can’t wait until I have [X] so I can get that new car. I can’t wait until I have [Y] so I can get that new house.”
It's a dangerous game, and you'll probably lose.
That's what Joseph Heller meant when he said he had the knowledge that he'd got enough.
If you're not enough without it, you'll never be enough with it.