I built 1.2 million followers on Instagram and 53,000 subscribers on YouTube.

I drove McLarens. Bentleys. Rolls-Royces. Aventadors. SVJs. You name it.

And I'm here to tell you something that might sound ungrateful but is absolutely true: **the Lamborghini makes you happy for maybe 15 minutes. Maybe 20. That's it.**

Then you're left asking the same question I asked: what's the point?

The 15-Minute Truth

The first drive feels insane. Your heart races. Your hands shake on the wheel. This is it. You made it.

But eventually, the Lambo just becomes another car.

It doesn't fix your problems. It doesn't stop the doubts in your head. It doesn't make you disciplined.

Science backs this up. Researchers call it hedonic adaptation. Your brain literally adjusts to new pleasures, making them feel normal.

Studies show that luxury car ownership doesn't make people happier than regular car ownership. The initial excitement fades as novelty wears off and the car becomes part of everyday life.

I lived this research without knowing it existed.

The Moment Everything Changed

Somewhere along the way, I lost myself.

I got caught up in the game. The lifestyle. The flex. Flashing watches, cars, trips, all the stuff you see every so-called guru do.

And let me be real with you: at first, I wanted that. I wanted the validation. The big house. The status.

It motivates you at the start. It pulls you forward for a while.

But here's the truth nobody tells you: **that feeling doesn't last.**

You're left sitting in your dream car, asking yourself the same question I asked: what's the point?

What Actually Works

What actually makes me happy now is giving.

It's showing up for my students. It's staying on calls for three hours when it was supposed to be one because I know they're waiting for my help, and I know I can make a difference.

It's giving my family experiences they'll never forget. Trips together. Moments together. **Things money can't buy twice.**

The neuroscience of giving explains why this works. Helping others triggers oxytocin release, which boosts serotonin and dopamine. Your brain literally rewards you for serving others.

The giving. The impact. The people I serve.

That's what makes me happy. Not the flex. Not the hype.

Behind the Influencer Facade

Here's what followers don't see: the emptiness behind the lifestyle posts.

Every influencer flashing luxury knows this secret. The cars become transportation. The watches become time-telling devices. The houses become places to sleep.

But we keep posting the flex because that's what gets engagement. That's what builds followers.

**Followers don't mean anything if you're not actually helping people.**

I created "Philip Johansen Unfiltered" because someone needs to say this out loud.

The material stuff you're chasing? It won't fill the void you think it will.

The validation you're seeking from strangers? It evaporates the moment you put your phone down.

What lasts is the impact you make. The people you help. The connections you build.

**The things money can't buy twice.**

That's where real fulfillment lives. Everything else is just another car.