Don’t Make Happiness Your Goal
Summary
- Happiness is not something you can achieve once and for all, like a checkbox you mark off.
- Happiness is more like eating or sleeping; it's something that needs regular attention and care.
- People who obsess about being happy are often the least happy.
- When happiness is your main goal, it means you're not truly happy in the present.
- It's better to find happiness in everyday moments rather than chasing it as an end goal.
Video
How To Take Action
I would suggest implementing small, everyday actions to maintain and nurture happiness. Here are some strategies that can help you experience more happiness with low cost and high value:
Focus on Daily Joys
A good way to become happier is by appreciating small daily moments. For instance, spend a few minutes each morning thinking about things you’re grateful for. This can be as simple as enjoying a cup of coffee or a quick walk outside.
Shift Your Mindset
Instead of making happiness your ultimate goal, focus on living in the present. Enjoy the journey, not just the destination. This means taking pleasure in your daily activities, whether it's work, hobbies, or spending time with family and friends.
Routine Care
Think of happiness as something that needs regular attention, like eating or sleeping. Just as you schedule time to eat and sleep, schedule time for activities you enjoy. This can include reading, exercising, or any hobby that brings you joy.
Avoid Over-Obsessing
If you obsess over being happy, you're actually making it harder for yourself. Stop treating happiness as something to be achieved and checked off a list. Simply enjoying life as it happens is often the best way to find happiness.
Mindfulness Practice
Incorporate mindfulness or meditation into your day. Spending even 5 to 10 minutes each day being mindful can help you stay grounded and appreciate the present moment, which naturally enhances your sense of happiness.
By focusing on these simple, everyday practices, you'll find that happiness becomes a regular part of your life, rather than a distant goal.
Full Transcript
people who want to be happy treat it like I want to eat so good I'm never hungry again or I want to sleep so well I never need to sleep again but I think happiness is much more like that than it is this achievement thing that you like check a box off it doesn't really work that way secondly all the people that I know who obsess about happiness are the least Happy People by having it as a goal it automatically sits outside of you which means you're not actually happy my goal is to be happy which means you aren't right now
