I have been thinking about this question recently; in fact, I often think about it :)
The most common answers I hear are money, power, recognition etc.
The least heard answers are job satisfaction, quality relationships, and so on.
Money can indeed buy (affect) happiness. If my salary doubled overnight, I’d be lying if I’m not happy. However, I question whether a money-boost would drench me in lasting happiness over several months, let alone years or an entire lifetime. In fact, I may sleep for a couple of hours and then it doesn’t feel anything — experienced this :)
Furthermore, there’s a limit to money-linked happiness. Once we hit a basic psychological ceiling, additional money doesn’t help; in fact, it could do the opposite.
Positive relationships, some say, are a powerful predictor of life satisfaction. For instance, nurturing strong bonds with family, friends, and relatives significantly enhances our happiness, as evidenced by an 80-year-long Harvard study. Well-Noted.