4 Reasons Why Owning a McLaren Left Me Empty: Being Stuck On the Hedonic Treadmill and Searching For True Wealth

Last week, we discussed the role of greed and questioned whether it is a necessary driver for a healthy economy. We compared socialism and capitalism, highlighting how greed is actually at the core of both systems. I proposed an alternative approach, envisioning a true free-market system, where our motivation comes from more aspirational goals. If you missed it, you can catch up by visiting this link.

Cars have never been a huge motivator for me, but I adopted a memetic goal that if I ever reached a certain level of success, I should celebrate by buying an exotic. Memetic goals are extrinsic motivations—reflections of societal or peer-driven values—rather than true intrinsic desires. 

After considering multiple options, I developed a liking for McLaren. It was a high-performance sports car that symbolizes success— owning one would seemingly be a confirmation and signal to the world that I had "made it." 

A few months later, I purchased a white McLaren 600LT (which you can see taking delivery of in the picture above.) The day they delivered the car was thrilling. I had built up so much anticipation about what I thought would be a defining moment in my life. The first day I owned a supercar!

After unloading it, my next move was to take Kelly out for a spin. It was awesome and it seemed to be the perfect fit to meet my motives and needs for attention. Everywhere I drove, heads turned to admire the beautiful car.

However, after a short while, the excitement began to fade. I started to realize that if you don’t have the right mental and motivational framework, the things you own will eventually own you by preoccupying your thoughts.

Soon, the car became more of a hassle. I found myself constantly worrying—whether it was the right car to take on certain outings, the risk of theft, or when I was out where to park it. The initial rush of excitement turned into the dull realization that the McLaren wasn’t bringing the happiness or fulfillment I had originally imagined. In fact, the anxiety of owning it started to outweigh the fleeting sense of fulfillment that I thought I had. 

So, I decided to sell it and I have since that time had a chance to reflect on the experience and what owning a McLaren taught me about myself.

Our society idolizes and glamorizes the famous and financially successful. In an effort to become part of this elite group, many of us unknowingly launch ourselves onto the hedonic treadmill. This treadmill refers to achieving success and then chasing ever more success, leaving us perpetually unsatisfied. The belief is that "If I do this" or "have that," then I will be happy. 

This mindset is driven by fragile egos and the need for external validation; an effort to impress others and to prove our worth to ourselves—often under the false assumption that fulfillment will come from extrinsic success markers.

When we are running on the hedonic treadmill we are pursuing the 4 Ps: Power, Prestige, Possessions, and Pleasure. These desires trap us in a cycle of accumulation, where each new milestone feels less fulfilling than the last.

While using slightly different names, the 4 Ps were originally attributed to Saint Thomas Aquinas. He identified four false sources of happiness, warning that the pursuit of such worldly goals will distract us from true fulfillment. He explained his reasoning for each as follows:

1. Wealth (Possessions): Aquinas argued that material wealth is a means to an end but cannot provide lasting fulfillment. People mistakenly believe that accumulating possessions will make them happy, but this leads to a never-ending cycle of desire. 
2. Honor (Prestige): Prestige or honor—seeking status or recognition—offers only temporary fulfillment. Aquinas noted that the pursuit of external validation is unstable because it relies on the opinions of others, rather than building intrinsic self-worth.
3. Power: Aquinas taught that the pursuit of power is illusory. While people believe power offers control and security, it is often fleeting and leads to pride and anxiety. True power, according to Aquinas, comes from self-mastery and alignment with Divine will.
4. Pleasure: Bodily pleasures, while natural, are temporary and cannot bring lasting happiness. True contentment comes from growth and spiritual fulfillment, not fleeting sensory experiences.

Aquinas believed that earthly goods are incomplete and inadequate as they are material and pertain only to temporal satisfaction. He described them as “idols” as they consume our attention and in essence require our worship. At their core, the "four idols" are manifestations of the human tendency to seek fulfillment in the wrong places, attempting to replace our longing for spiritual connectedness with something that will ultimately prove ephemeral. 

In the modern business world, they are the very same drivers that have led many of us towards a tendency to feel stressed, burned out, anxious and reeling from a sense of emptiness. Exactly the way I started to feel shortly after purchasing what I thought would be a highlight of my life by owning a dream car. 

Here’s how the 4 Ps played out for me:

1. Power: The Illusion of Control In business, power is often seen as the ultimate goal. My McLaren represented power—over my circumstances, the opinions of others, and even my own sense of self-worth. But soon, I realized that power, like the car, demanded more from me than it gave.
2. Prestige: The Trap of Status Prestige, like power, is hollow. The McLaren was a status symbol, signaling that I had arrived. But prestige is fleeting. Soon, I found myself looking for the next symbol of success, the next affirmation. Sure the 600LT was nice but I started to believe that perhaps I would feel even more satisfied if I owned a 720S or perhaps another exotic.
3. Possessions: The Weight of Materialism The McLaren, like all possessions, came with a burden. Expensive things demand attention—worrying about maintenance, theft, or even being defined by them. Instead of simplifying life, possessions often complicate it.  It consumed my mental energy, and once obtained consistently preoccupied my thoughts. In the words of Seneca: “These individuals say they have riches just as we say we have a fever when really the fever has us.” 
4. Pleasure: The Fleeting Rush The initial thrill of driving the McLaren was intoxicating, but like all pleasures, it was short-lived. The excitement wore off quickly, leaving me to wonder, “What next?” Pleasure, when sought as an end, leads to a constant chase, leaving us quickening the pace on the hedonic treadmill.

So, what’s the alternative? True fulfillment doesn’t come from pursuing the 4 P’s but rather,  from living a life aligned with our inner character and then focusing on the 4 C’s: connections, creativity, charity and challenges. The most valuable things in life aren’t things at all—they are relationships, meaningful work and knowing that we are using our resources as a force for good.

I’m not against exotic cars or nice things—I still have many that I enjoy.  However now, I view them through a different lens. Before I buy something I ask “What is my motivation with this purchase?”  If I reflect and find that it is motivated by one of the 4 Ps, I avoid it. If however it helps you focus on the 4 C’s then it is probably a good investment. 

Most people value things and use people to acquire them. Focusing on the 4 C’s means you are valuing people and using things to help create deeper relationships. Next week we will take a deeper dive into what it means to live within the 4 C’s, unpacking ideas for how you can truly build wealth in your life beyond money!

As you reflect here are some questions to consider:

Have you ever pursued a goal or made a purchase, only to realize it didn’t bring the fulfillment you expected? How did that experience shape your view on success and happiness?

Which of the 4 Ps (Power, Prestige, Possessions, Pleasure) do you find most difficult to resist in your own life?

What steps can you take today to shift your focus from the pursuit of external validation (like material success or status) to deeper connections, meaningful work, and personal growth?

Brad Pedersen

Vijay Krishnan

Andre Oliveira