Make Your Brain Happy: Earn Your Money

Have you bought that lottery ticket and dreamed of the bliss that big pay-off could yield?  If you have—you are not alone.

But, researchers at Emory University, with too much time on their hands, did a study awhile ago and determined that people who actually earned their money were happier.  So, all you lottery winners and trust-fund babies step aside to those who earn it.  We all thought you were happier, but it seems we working folks are… who knew?

Emory University researchers had measured brain activity in the striatum—that’s the part of the brain associated with reward processing and pleasure.  They had two groups of volunteers.  One group had to work to get their money while playing a computer game and the other group just got money without having to earn it.
The brains of those who had to work for their money were more stimulated.  It seemed the brain was happier.

As a side note—some of the big lottery winners may not be happy because they blow through their winnings at a shockingly fast pace.  Some years ago, Oprah had me do a show about big lottery winners—the people who won over $100,000,000.  We found that the people Oprah had me work with not only squandered their winnings, but went on to declare bankruptcy.  In fact, the stats showed that over 90% declared bankruptcy.  I even coached a man who won over $100,000,000 twice—and blew it! Unfortunately, my advice began with, “What were you thinking? Are you kidding?”  Most of their  issues centered around their fundamental lack of any money savvy and their friends and family expecting and getting a share of the pie. (But twice? Come on!)

Ok, back to the study.  The study did show that people who won the lottery were not happier a year after they won.  We also know from other psychological studies that people get a great deal of satisfaction out of the work they do.  We also know that we were designed to work to obtain the things we need and want.  Without that stimulus, we can suffer from depression.  Take a look at our unemployment rates and the devastating effects it’s had not only monetarily, but in terms of people’s self-esteem.

The moral of the story—America, we want and need to work, we are not looking for the hand-out.  Congress, stop acting like spoiled children (sorry kids, I didn’t mean to insult you) and you need to get back to work and come up with solutions to our job crisis.