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Aiming for Happiness Will Make You Hate Life
Here’s what to aim for instead
Stop trying to be happy.
No. Really. It’s futile.
Happiness is not what we should aim for. It will make you hate your life.
Here’s why…
Before getting into the nitty-gritty, let’s establish our definition of happiness.
What makes you happy?
Is it eating pizza on a Friday night? Is it hanging out with friends? Or is it just relaxing and watching Netflix after a busy day?
Whatever you say, ask yourself if you’re actually happy afterwards. Chances are, you’re not. We still feel empty inside, and still want something else. Even though we never know what that something is, all we know is that we want it.
Start thinking about fulfilment
This subtle distinction between happiness and fulfilment is important. Happiness is short-term. Yes, it feels good in the short run, but long-term we feel dread. Netflix is fun in the short-term, but binge-watching shows makes us feel empty afterwards. That type of fun is short-lived.
Fulfilment is different. It hurts. In the short term, we feel terrible. We reflexively avoid fulfilment, even though it’s what we want…
