When I graduated from college, call me stupid, but I never once said I wanted to make a lot of money.

Yes, I wanted a nice car and a house some day – and that takes money.  But money as a goal is something I have never pursued.

Many of my classmates took a more direct path seeking riches over even happiness.  And a half-time report would indicate that those of us who sought to work in jobs that made us happy instead of rich actually did pretty well in both ways.

Millennials care more about happiness than money and their older friends and family often think they are misguided.

But …

1.  Psychologist and psychiatrist offices are filled with not just the poor but the rich which helps explain why so many rich people have shrinks.

2.  Nothing is worth working in a job that doesn’t make you happy no matter what the price.  Note how Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer was recruited from Google for her high-powered job that is built around her new child and family.  She got what she wanted because she knew what she wanted.

3.  Money doesn’t buy friends, it buys the illusion of friends.

4.  Now, when our friends are happy or sad it influences us.  When people do things that make them happy, it spreads instantly through social media and picks up momentum.

5.  Choose who you work fore carefully.  Millennials are not easily pushed around and they know what they want.  A 2010 poll showed they actually like their bosses more than Baby Boomers.

6.  Dreams and optimism are mood enhancers.  Dreamers are really happier.  We all have dreams, but we must give ourselves permission to pursue them in our personal and family lives and at work.

“What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt, and has a clear conscience?” -Adam Smith