Redefining Success Beyond Money and Power

You write a lot about some of the 
psychological challenges that come with 
generating wealth. What advice would you 
give someone who has found financial 
success but is struggling to find happiness 
outside of their bank account? 
 
Christianson: 
Psychological challenges and 
complexities are largely unanticipated impacts 
associated with wealth creation. For someone 
struggling to find fulfillment after accumulating 

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material wealth, I suggest they start by defining 
success for themselves 
— personally, professionally 
and financially. I like to help wealth creators 
visualize what success looks like by saying “imagine 
yourself five to 10 years into the future. Looking 
back, what have been your guiding lights through 
this journey, leading to your ideal outcomes?” I ask 
wealth creators to reflect on their core values and 
explore what brings meaning and purpose to their 
life. These deeply held values hold the key to what I 
call “living fully.” Enlisting a wealth coach or 
counselor may also be a helpful step in finding 
greater happiness in and beyond material wealth. 
In many cases, those who generate personal 
wealth do so in an effort to provide for their 
children, and you write about how wealth 
affects different generations as it’s passed 
on. Can you talk about that cycle, and how 
prosperous parents can foster a healthy 
outlook on wealth and success in their 
children? 
 
Christianson: 
It’s normal for the children and family 
of wealth creators to be the key beneficiaries of their 
money. Unfortunately, in our desire to provide a 
financial leg up for our children, we can 

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unintentionally handicap them. To prevent the 
unintended effects of wealth on children, parents 
need to focus on passing on family values,