Does Steve look happy? Observing public‑life trade‑offs

Morgan Housel, global expert on personal finance, shares powerful lessons on Warren Buffett’s hidden struggles, Elon Musk’s sacrifices, money trauma and financial habits, how to invest wisely, and the psychology behind saving, spending, and success. 

Morgan Housel is a partner at Collaborative Fund, former columnist for The Wall Street Journal, and a speaker on investing, saving, spending, and financial independence. He is also the bestselling author of books, such as: ‘The Psychology of Money’ and ‘The Art of Spending Money’.

He explains:

◼️ Why more money rarely solves unhappiness

◼️ How envy and social comparison drive overspending

◼️ Why extreme wealth often comes at the cost of health and relationships

◼️ How inflated definitions of “wealth” fuel endless consumerism

◼️ Why true happiness comes from family, friends, and health - not luxury

(00:00) Intro

(02:33) The Importance of Spending Money

(04:43) Why Will This Podcast Make My Life Better?

(07:54) Is There Something Wrong With Chasing Status?

(10:26) What’s the Evolutionary Basis for This Stuff?

(15:43) There's Always a Trade-Off

(17:55) Saving Addiction

(19:41) Can Money Make You Happy?

(25:08) Are We All Stuck in a Status Game?

(29:14) Is the "Freedom" Culture Actually Making People Unhappy?

(31:12) Your Favorite Form of Saving Is Spending

(33:17) Jealousy of Other People’s Wealth

(35:17) The Spectrum of Financial Independence

(38:57) How Do People Achieve Financial Independence?

(41:32) How Does Dopamine Factor Into All of This?

(49:07) We're Wired to Want More

(54:51) People Retiring Early Tend to Wish They Hadn't

(55:52) Passive Income Myths

(58:06) Ads

(59:07) Do I Need to Know About Economics for This?

(1:05:01) What’s Going On in the World?

(1:08:55) How Wealth Inequality Is Dividing People

(1:10:50) The Charlie Kirk Shooting

(1:19:04) Is There a Way Back From This Divide?

(1:23:39) What Should We Be Doing to Help?

(1:25:28) Are You Optimistic About the Western Economy?

(1:27:23) Favorite Chapter From the Book

(1:32:34) Ads

(1:34:42) Why You Should Try New Things

(1:37:29) Are You Chasing a Lifestyle That's Not Right for You?

(1:40:48) Does Jack Think Steven Is Happy?

(1:49:37) Should We Feel Guilty About the Lack of Contentment?

(1:52:49) The Relationship Between Money and Kids

(1:55:42) The Exact Formula for Spending

(2:02:05) Humble Bubble

(2:04:07) Do You Have Major Regrets in Life?

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You can purchase Morgan’s book, ‘The Art of Spending Money’, here: https://amzn.to/46F9JTO

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