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<p>My understanding is that wealth only increases happiness up to a certain threshold – so a comfortably middle-class person might be happier than the average lower middle-class person, who in turn is happier than someone living closer to the poverty line. But the average millionaire isn’t necessarily happier than the average upper middle-class person. Similarly, when there is sustained economic improvement in a region the residents are happier, but it’s been found that beyond a certain threshold there is little correlation between GDP and citizens’ happiness/well-being. Jigme Singye Wangchuck, former king of Bhutan, actually coined the term Gross National Happiness as an alternative to GDP. </p>
<p>The bottom line, from my perspective (albeit as a student going into public policy and the arts) is that the career itself isn’t necessarily linked to satisfaction, but success/personal fulfillment within that career is.</p>