Stock Doc: The Pursuit of Happiness

As a performance coach and psychologist for some of the wealthiest financial types on Wall Street, I work with many brilliant individuals, some of whom, however, have fallen victim to their own self-destructive and perfectionist minds.

Many of those who sit across from me on a weekly basis are focused on obtaining financial nirvana but somehow seem oblivious to all of the wonderful things that they already have or will accomplish in the future.

They compare their successes and their wealth to those who work next to them and even to their friends. They compare their stock portfolios to their friends' and anguish over failures far longer than they savor successes. My clients fall prey to their insatiable drive to obtain material wealth that they believe can supply their families with security and happiness.

While it is true that money can contribute to an individual's sense of security and the ability to live comfortably, it does not directly relate to obtaining happiness. Many of my clients are so competitive that they often forget to look around them and appreciate the commodities that they already possess. For them, nothing in life worth having comes without a price tag. ...