In the course of my life I've owned 3 businesses where the employees made more than the owner. Willingly, if not on purpose :)
I don't have much now, but I have enough. That's part of the secret for me. Knowing that I have enough is a huge advantage in life. I don't have to have the latest greatest anything.
The reason I don't have much now is directly related to my willingness to take a swing at something I really enjoy and spend whatever capital I have acquired to do so. That most would call my experiences failures, means nothing to me. I had fun at each of them and am contented with my lot in the wake of that.
So yeah. I take ownership. Good and bad. I really have had a good run!
This is rare, but can be a great way to build a company.
There is the idea that we should be happy with what we've got and I agree - to an extent. I think we have to work toward a point with our effort and then come to the realization, not just start from there, otherwise we never know what we are capable of.
Recognizing this is important and I think that at the end of the run, it is better to know what one is capable of rather than have the doubt that there was more in the tank. If life is a game, there is no point conserving energy in the finals.