Why financial independence doesn’t guarantee happiness for Dia Mirza: ‘Not enjoying what I am doing’

3 min readNew DelhiJun 8, 2026 12:04 PM IST

Dia Mirza on feeling unfulfilled despite success. (Source: Instagram/@diamirzaofficial)

Dia Mirza recently opened up about feeling unfulfilled despite achieving professional success and financial independence. During a recent interview with Soha Ali Khan on her podcast All About Her, Mirza revealed that while she has earned money, built a home of her own, and enjoys financial stability, she has still not found the happiness she seeks.

“I am not enjoying what I am doing. I have earned money. I am independent. I have a home that I can call my own in a city that accepted me, and I do not have to worry about paying my bills. But none of this is making me happy,” she told the host.

But why does one feel so?

Gurleen Baruah, existential analyst and organisational psychologist at That Culture Thing, believes the world is changing, and there’s growing awareness that meaning and ambition do not have to come from employment alone.

“Especially after the pandemic, stable jobs disappeared, companies began laying off people overnight, and the economy became unpredictable. With security becoming fragile, linking identity or purpose to a job has begun feeling risky,” she says.

Mirza feels work does not make her happy anymore. (Source: Instagram/@fdci)

Success is not a measure of happiness

Dr Rimpa Sarkar, clinical psychologist and founder of Sentier Wellness, Mumbai, adds that people working in high octane environments often have strong self-awareness and long-term vision, and are recognising that constant output without recovery eventually leads to burnout, cognitive fatigue and emotional disengagement.

“People have seen burnout up close, in their parents, older colleagues, or themselves, and are simply choosing not to tie their entire self-worth to a company. So, now people are placing career in the ‘stability’ bucket and shifting creativity, expression, and ambition to other parts of life where they feel more agency and control,” she tells indianexpress.com.

Baruah says that for some, a stable job that pays bills and offers routine is the life they want, and there’s nothing wrong with that. For others, treating work as “just stability” may mean slower career progression or fewer leadership opportunities. This really depends on the person and their values.

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Anxiety around work is normal given today’s instability, Baruah adds, but obsessing over it only affects performance and well-being.

According to her, a healthier approach is acceptance. “Yes, the world is uncertain, and trying to control every outcome won’t help. What does help is grounding yourself in the present: doing your job with sincerity, focus, and reasonable effort, without slipping into overwork or perfectionism,” she shares.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.