Michael Porter Jr. says financial success can remove money-related worries, but he does not believe becoming wealthy automatically produces lasting happiness.
The NBA forward, who has earned more than $153 million during his career, explained that people who make financial freedom their primary goal may overestimate how much their lives will change once they achieve it.
“I try to explain that to people that look at me or look at other people who are very wealthy, and that’s their goal and sole purpose in life is to reach financial freedom. And I’m like, ‘You don’t understand that once you get that, it does take a certain stress away, but it only takes financial stress away.’”
Porter acknowledged that having significant money initially provides access to experiences and possessions that previously may have been unavailable.
However, he believes the excitement eventually fades as those advantages become part of everyday life.
“It doesn’t change your baseline happiness levels. It’s cool for a minute. You can buy things you never bought. You can do things you never did. But even that, you’re going to get accustomed to that and then you’re right back to normal happiness.”
