Why net worth goals are overrated

When most people think about wealth, they picture a dream number.
One million. Five million. Ten million.

It sounds simple: if you can just get there, you’ll be safe, successful, and free. But the reality is that net worth goals are one of the most overrated ways to measure progress.

Chasing the number creates traps

If you are ahead of schedule, you’ll be tempted to relax. Motivation fades, and so does the discipline that got you there. You end up slowing down and giving away your head start.
On the other hand, if you fall behind, you risk pushing too hard. That’s when people start chasing quick money by investing recklessly or overworking themselves just to hit an arbitrary target.
Neither outcome is healthy. Both distract from the real process of building wealth with consistency and actually enjoying the journey.

The number itself is meaningless

Let’s be honest: your net worth goal is a made-up figure. It doesn’t have inherent meaning. One million euros doesn’t automatically translate to security. Five million doesn’t guarantee happiness. These round numbers feel significant, but they don’t reflect your unique life or ambitions.

What matters is how well your wealth supports the life you want to live. That’s not a single figure. It’s a balance between income, expenses, investments, and time.

The journey shapes you more than the goal

Even if you do reach your net worth target, it won’t feel like a life-changing event. Why? Because you didn’t get there overnight. You built it step by step. Each choice, each investment, each smart decision added up. By the time you arrive, the number feels natural.

I vividly remember when I first became a millionaire. A friend was sitting behind me. I told him, he congratulated me, and I went back to work.
He suggested we go have dinner and celebrate, but I didn’t want to. That milestone didn’t feel like a sudden transformation. It was simply the result of everything I had done up to that point.

Focus on what matters instead

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work hard. It means the focus should shift away from a fixed number and toward building a plan that creates sustainable wealth:

• Manage your spending so you keep more of what you earn.

• Invest in ways that match your risk tolerance and goals.

• Keep learning, because opportunities change over time.

• Protect your time, because you will never get it back.

Wealth is not a scoreboard. It’s about creating freedom, security, and the ability to live the life you choose.
So work hard, yes. Build discipline, absolutely. But don’t pin your future on a single net worth figure.
Being far from that number shouldn’t make you depressed. Reaching it won’t magically fix your problems or make you happy.

At High Stakes Finance, we help clients plan realistic goals that help them achieve their dreams.
Click the link below, and let’s book a call.