Happiness can't be measured with a number, says Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Joseph Gordon-Levitt isn't motivated by money or fame.

The 41-year-old actor shot to global stardom on the hit sitcom '3rd Rock from the Sun' - but since then, he hasn't put too much emphasis on making money.

He explained: "I had made a bunch of money being on '3rd Rock' so I could really just follow my creative desire. I loved those Sundance movies; that’s what I felt compelled to do. I wasn’t inspired to do another sitcom even though I could have made more money – but to what end?

"You can always make more money but why? Do you ever arrive at the end of the rainbow? And it’s not just money. Think of any time you’ve tried to measure your happiness with a number.

"The same things happen with followers and likes on social media. There is no end to that craving for more and more numbers so you have to jump out of that hamster wheel."

Despite this, Joseph admits it hasn't always been easy to resist the temptations of fame and fortune.

The Hollywood actor - who has starred in movies such as 'Don Jon', 'Inception' and 'The Dark Knight Rises' - told The Independent: "Frankly, it’s always been a struggle. I’m not immune to how seductive those desires are. I’m aware of myself doing that all the time."

Joseph shot to fame at an early age. But now, he warns that anyone with an Instagram account is exposing themselves to some potential pitfalls.

He explained: "The pitfalls that were in front of me as a teenager dealing with the kind of fame that came from being on TV, those pitfalls are now just offered to everybody with a phone."