Americans think this is the top benchmark of success — and it's not being super rich

What barriers do people face?

The same Empower survey revealed some of the biggest barriers people face against success. These include:

• Overspending and failure to budget effectively (37%)
• Debt (36%)
• The economy (35%)
• Lack of savings (35%)
• Irregular or insufficient income (30%)
• A failure to set clear financial goals (28%)
• Procrastination or delaying financial decisions (26%)
• Lack of money management knowledge (20%)

Credit card debt in the U.S. hit a record $1.17 trillion in the third quarter of 2024, per the New York Fed, and around a quarter of all households are living paycheck to paycheck, according to an analysis by Bank of America.

It's clear many people are struggling to make ends meet. When you're worried about paying bills or sending hundreds of dollars of interest a year to creditors, you may be less inclined to spend money on things that bring you happiness.

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Finding the path to success

The good news is that there are steps you can take to move toward a level of financial security that allows you to spend money based on your desire for joy.

First and foremost, you'll want to try to increase your income as much as you can. The more you earn, the easier it is to cover the basics and have some cash left over. Try to find a side gig that fits in your schedule to bringing in a little extra income.

You'll also want to budget your money carefully, which starts with trying to keep extra costs down. There will always be fixed items, such as rent and car payments, so keeping other expenses to a minimum can leave you with more money to do things that make you happy. Following a budget also ensures you're using funds wisely in a conscious effort to buy things that improve your life.

These first steps can be the start of your journey to success. You work hard for your money, and spending it on things that make you happy is absolutely a worthy goal worth working towards.