The Myth that Money Measures Success

I’ve been reflecting on current workplace trends and wondering if they indicate something deeper that is happening. When I was growing up, people often talked about “earning your age.” Back then, success was measured by one’s yearly income. The rule was that your wage should be close to or higher than your age. But today, I often wonder:

Is it a myth that money measures success?

Age equals income clearly doesn’t apply anymore, as salaries have inflated well above that metric. But annual income remains a metric for success. Before the pandemic, many people were planning their careers and aspirations, from making more pay to a desire to be promoted, to actual title goals like “becoming an executive director.” What wasn’t taken into consideration was the cost of pursuing that version of success.

While everyone knew that they were sacrificing their time with family, friends, and personal life to pursue their career goals, this knowledge didn’t change the hours that they gave to work. The pandemic forced many of us to ask some important self-reflective questions as we paused and reset. Some of us experienced “pandemic epiphanies” as a result, contributing to significant shifts in how people view work.

Years later, we’re seeing new workplace phenomena that reflect an ongoing evolution from that point. For example:

• Recent research shows that people are experiencing “quiet cracking,” a persistent feeling of workplace unhappiness that leads to disengagement, poor performance, and an increased desire to quit.
• Workers are “revenge quitting,” engaging in dramatic exits driven by frustration with feeling undervalued. These trends signal that people continue to assess the quality of their life beyond their annual paycheck.

What’s particularly telling is that for many,  work-life balance has become non-negotiable.  Many remote workers feel that working from home helps them balance work and personal life. They’re so passionate about this that 25% would be willing to take a 15% pay cut to get more flexible working hours. This represents a fundamental shift in how people are measuring success.

In my coaching practice, I am gaining valuable insights that suggest a new way to measure success.

An Integrated Measure of Success

We often confuse self-worth with net worth, but I think this single measure is shifting.  As I read and talk to people, a common theme emerges.

People are realizing they’ve traded their personal well-being for the productivity of their employer.  Unfortunately this productivity, and the rewards that come along with it, are being unequally distributed among the many people who have contributed to its success. People no longer want to be exploited in this way, and we’re seeing current workplace trends that suggest a shift toward a more holistic and balanced life. As I see it, THIS is becoming the true measure of success, particularly for younger generations.

Shifting Our Value From Finances to Impact

Systems thinking would say that the more we optimize a part of the system, the less we optimize the whole system. When we use finances as a sole measurement of success, we make trade-offs that decrease our individual, collective, and ecological well-being. But  we’re starting to see value less in how much money we make, and more in the impact we have on our family, friends, and the planet.    As we make this shift, we’ll begin to see the world go from valuing consumption to valuing care. From the enclosure of wealth and power to the social and ecological well-being of the world.

Success Redefined

The workplace transformations we’re witnessing—from quiet cracking to revenge quitting, from the demand for remote flexibility to the prioritization of values-aligned work, all point to the same truth. Money alone cannot capture the full spectrum of human success.

People are seeking careers that enhance rather than diminish their overall quality of life. They’re measuring success not just by their bank account, but by their sense of purpose, their relationships, their health, and their contribution to something larger than themselves.

What does success look like to you in 2025? How has your definition evolved, and what metrics matter most in your life and work today? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below!