Dr. Jordan Grumet, a hospice doctor and author of “The Purpose Code,” emphasizes that true happiness stems from spending money on experiences that foster personal growth and meaningful connections. Grumet—the photo above his is by Andrew Cardi—has spent most of his adult life working closely with people approaching death. To make people happier, he’s discovered a much deeper relationship with increased happiness and people independent of their wealth.
His way of thinking directly goes against the conventional wisdom that links happiness to financial wealth. Instead, Grumet contends that investing in spaces for individual growth and community engagement will bring more enduring happiness. He suggests that individuals can make meaningful expenditures on any budget, encouraging them to pursue experiences that resonate deeply with their true selves.
The Importance of Experiences Over Material Goods
Grumet’s philosophy is informed by his experience with patients across the economic spectrum. He asserts, “I take care of people at the end of life, and I’ve seen people from every economic class.” His discoveries show that money can’t buy you happiness.
I’ll be honest, money doesn’t always match up. It really doesn’t. I’ve seen really, really happy poor people, and I’ve seen really, really miserable rich people, he states. As Grumet points out, purchasing physical things, whether clothes or jewels, usually brings only momentary contentment. Whereas, he argues, we should welcome experiences that foster happiness and thrill.
“Let’s say, going on a trip. We spend money to schedule the trip and we get all that anticipation,” Grumet explains. He adds that the joy derived from these experiences extends beyond the moment of enjoyment, as they create lasting memories. “Then we go on the trip itself, and we get all that joy when we’re on that trip. We get all the memories, which I think gives us joy going into the future.”
Building Meaningful Connections Through Community
Perhaps the most important part of Grumet’s recommendations is building relationships and using inclusive community engagement. He feels participating in local activities—from hiking to culinary excursions—builds a unique sense of community. Instead, it provides people with a second sense of hope. “You tend to connect to other people, and you tend to become part of communities. I call them communities of internal purpose,” he explains.
He wants people to follow adventures that speak to them on a deeper level. For instance, he says, when you’re planning a trip to Machu Picchu. This trip has been the best and most effective artist investment I’ve made toward personal exploration. If you’re determined to be an explorer, you can go spend $10,000 or $15,000 scouting out a trip to Machu Picchu. If that’s truly all you seek, this is a much, much easier alternative to achieve, and many more options exist—even at the local level,” he writes.
His unique point of view reminds us all how deep relationships can be formed around mutual passions and journeys. It’s important to remember that investing in these types of opportunities makes your life better too. It’s a way to positively impact the world around you.
The Hedonic Treadmill and Lasting Joy
Grumet’s insights touch on the concept of the “hedonic treadmill,” which describes the tendency of individuals to quickly return to a baseline level of happiness after positive or negative events. He argues for the idea that long lasting happiness results when we spend money on things that better ourselves instead of fleeting indulgences.
“What I think is the most enduring type of spending is when we spend on becoming a better version of ourselves,” he states. This method sets people up to find and direct their financial capital towards projects that are more in alignment with their true selves and goals.
“Just because you don’t have a lot of money doesn’t mean that the little bit you do spend can’t be on something that’s deeply important to you, that lights you up,” Grumet adds. He argues that these kinds of spending really pay dividends in happiness in the long run.