What have you really got?

I used to think the senior guys I worked with had it good. Until, of course, I started moving up the food chain myself and quickly came to the realisation that they didn't.

Becoming more senior doesn't just mean a bigger pay cheque. It also means feeling compelled to lease the BMW you can't afford to buy, to send your kids to private school instead of public school, and to wear Boss or Zegna suits instead of whatever is in the local department store. And not because you want to, but because all the other senior guys are doing the same. Keeping up with the Joneses, so to speak, is a fool's pursuit, but one that most people follow.

My advice? Keep it simple. Don't upsize or get fancy because you feel you have to. If Gucci shoes really turn you on, then go for it. If they don't, then keep your cash. It will mean you can retire earlier, or stop pushing so hard at work, or even... God forbid... actually have more in your life than fleeting, meaningless materials things!