We take it as a given that we want to be happy, but what does attaining happiness entail in practice? Is there a universal secret to happiness? Is happiness a realistic goal to even reach for? Or is it like perfection\u2014an unattainable ideal that you can strive toward but never achieve? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Happiness is an elusive concept that is assigned many different meanings. But there is one thing that is certain: Happiness is a highly desired state that everyone is striving for in one way or another. Perspectives on what the pursuit of happiness entails in practice, however, vary widely, depending on who you ask. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, we\u2019ve attempted to get to the root of the question \u201cWhat is the secret to happiness<\/a>?\u201d by deconstructing perspectives from three esteemed thinkers: The Dalai Lama, Aristotle, and Jordan Peterson. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Some westerners see striving for personal happiness as a selfish act. But according to the Dalai Lama, the opposite is the case: Unhappy people are more self-absorbed than happy people, who are compassionate, helpful, and generous. That\u2019s why it is your purpose<\/a> as a human to <\/strong>seek happiness<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Aristotle also believed that your purpose in life is to achieve happiness<\/a>. According to him, every goal you set in life, however distant it may seem from happiness, actually is in service of attaining happiness. Let\u2019s say you join a high-intensity fitness program, which, with its grueling exercises, may not seem in service of your happiness. However, when you look at the micro-goals of joining this program, you see they serve the macro-goal of happiness: You join the program to get fit. You get fit to be healthy. You become healthy to be happier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maslow\u2019s Hierarchy of Needs echoes the idea that we\u2019re able to do our best for others when we\u2019re happy<\/a> and explains why this might be the case. Abraham Maslow posited that human motivation is tiered: We\u2019re first motivated to satisfy simple needs\u2014for shelter, food, and so on\u2014and only motivated to tend to higher-tier needs\u2014friendship, love, and the like\u2014once the simple needs are met. Therefore, until we reach the highest tier, self-actualization\u2014comparable to the attainment of happiness as described by the Dalai Lama\u2014we can\u2019t practice generosity toward others because we\u2019re too busy<\/a> meeting essential needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the Dalai Lama, happiness is a mindset you build and isn\u2019t contingent upon external characteristics, like wealth or status. Such factors can\u2019t confer lasting happiness<\/a>. You see this in daily life: When something great happens, like a promotion, you\u2019re temporarily elated but soon return to your normal level of contentment. Similarly, if you suffer a setback, like a breakup, the negative feelings wear off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In science, this phenomenon\u2014the \u201cwearing-off\u201d of positive or negative emotions\u2014is called hedonic adaptation<\/a>. What\u2019s more, when positive or negative events are repeated, they have a less pronounced effect on mood<\/a>, and mood returns more quickly to the baseline. If you keep getting promoted, for instance, the promotions will leave you less happy for less time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since happiness is fleeting and isn\u2019t contingent on external factors, the Dalai Lama teaches that it is something that you train, rather than attain. <\/strong>So, the secret to happiness lies in training your mind<\/a>. There are three steps to cultivating a happiness mindset: <\/p>\n\n\n\n To cultivate your happiness mindset, educate yourself both about your emotions and the circumstances that give rise to them. You\u2019ll find that feelings like anger and hatred make you unhappy and hurt you and others, says the Dalai Lama. Because they\u2019re hurtful, you\u2019ll know these are negative emotions<\/em> and that they\u2019re based on a misunderstanding<\/em> of the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After educating yourself on how and why you become happy or unhappy, the next step is to develop your motivation<\/em> to change your mindset<\/a>, advises the Dalai Lama. Simply understanding<\/em> what makes you unhappy can\u2019t alone eradicate unhappiness. You must desire<\/em> to rid yourself of unhappiness and negative emotions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The final step of cultivating a happiness mindset is to make the effort<\/em> to change. This is, in turn, done by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nTITLE: The Art of Happiness Similar to the Dalai Lama, Aristotle believed that happiness is the ultimate goal of human life<\/a>. However, he defined it differently. According to Aristotle, the secret to happiness (or goodness) lies in pursuing rational activity aligned with virtue. <\/strong>But what does it entail in more concrete terms? <\/strong>Let\u2019s unpack Aristotle\u2019s view on happiness: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Aristotle claims that to judge how good something is, you need to know its \u201cdefining activity\u201d: what it (and only it) does. For example: Saying someone is a \u201cgood\u201d violin player is a judgment of their ability to play the violin\u2014the activity that a violin player (and only a violin player) does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reason (the ability to think logically and make choices based on that logic) is the defining activity of humans. All of our other actions aren\u2019t unique to us. To list a few: Our ability to move, reproduce, fulfill basic needs, or perceive the world<\/a> around us are also things that other animals (and in some cases, plants) can do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, no other animal or plant can think logically or make logical decisions. Humans (and only humans) can do that. This makes reasoning our defining activity, and, therefore, the standard we can use to judge how good a human is. A good human is good at reasoning. A good human, by definition, lives a good life\u2014and a good life is a happy life.<\/strong> Therefore, reason is necessary for happiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aristotle cautions that reasoning alone isn\u2019t enough to be happy\u2014it also must be correct reasoning. Someone who always makes the worst possible decisions won\u2019t live a happy life<\/a> even though they are using reason (albeit poorly). <\/p>\n\n\n\n What Aristotle means by correct reasoning is reasoning aligned with \u201cvirtue.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Since \u201creasoning\u201d means making choices, \u201creason aligned with virtue\u201d means making the right choices. If we make the right choices in life<\/a>, it means we\u2019re good at reasoning\u2014and are therefore happy. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Aristotle separates virtue into two main categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reasoning aligned with virtue still isn\u2019t enough for happiness\u2014a person also must consistently act on this reasoning. Goodness, explains Aristotle, can\u2019t exist separate from objects or actions\u2014it makes no sense to call a carpenter good if he\u2019s never built anything, for example. Therefore, action is necessary for a good life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, one or a few actions isn\u2019t enough. Aristotle claims happiness requires consistently good actions over an entire lifetime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jordan Peterson has a rather unconventional take on happiness (as you might expect). Peterson claims that \u201cthe pursuit of happiness is a pointless goal.\u201d <\/strong>Instead of pursuing happiness<\/a>, you should pursue Meaning, teaches Peterson. When you act with Meaning, you will attain more security and strength than would be granted by a short-sighted concern for your own security. In turn you\u2019ll feel better about your existence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This begs the question: How do you pursue Meaning? \u201cBy putting it before expediency\u201d, <\/em>says Peterson. Expedience is the easy way out. Expedience rejects responsibility; it doesn\u2019t have the wisdom or sophistication to look ahead and plan carefully; it has no courage or sacrifice. Meaning, on the other hand, regulates impulses and recognizes the value of making the world better<\/a>. <\/strong>Meaning gratifies all impulses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \r\nTITLE: 12 Rules for Life What is the secret to happiness? Happiness is a loaded concept. However, perspectives on happiness, while disparate at the first glance, have a lot in common. For example, most people would agree that happiness has nothing to do with material possessions. Rather, it\u2019s an internal state that is contingent on your outlook, more than anything else. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you enjoyed our article about the secret to happiness, check out the following suggestions for further reading: <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Happiness Advantage<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Most people think that happiness comes after success, and that success comes after hard work. But we\u2019ve had the equation all wrong: Happiness isn\u2019t the result <\/em>of success\u2014it\u2019s the cause <\/em>of it. <\/strong>In The Happiness Advantage<\/em>, author Shawn Achor introduces this formula for success, based on research in neuroscience and the relatively new field of positive psychology<\/a>. Achor offers insight as a leading expert on the connection between happiness and performance and the founder of a research and consulting firm that optimizes people\u2019s achievement through positive psychology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Happiness Hypothesis <\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Happiness Hypothesis <\/em>explores the nature of human happiness, blending the philosophical and theological wisdom of ancient thinkers with insights from the field of positive psychology. Our satisfaction is driven by how our mental filters<\/a> interpret the events in our lives, with the human brain perpetually divided against itself in the struggle between the desires created by our emotions and the attempts of reason to control them. The secret to happiness is to use reason to focus the mind away <\/em>from desires that will only bring fleeting happiness<\/a>, while giving in to those desires that will bring lasting fulfillment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Happiness Project<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In The Happiness Project, <\/em>Gretchen Rubin explains how resolving to make the smallest of changes in your everyday life\u2014using the \u201cgood\u201d dishes, remembering friends\u2019 birthdays, or singing<\/a> in the morning\u2014can translate into more vivid memories, stronger relationships, and a deeper sense of happiness and gratitude in your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Pursuit of Happiness<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Dalai Lama: Happiness Is Found Within<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Educate Yourself. <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Step 2: Develop Your Motivation to Change. <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Step 3: Exert Yourself to Change. <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\nAUTHOR: Dalai Lama
\nTIME: 37
\nREADS: 78.6
\nIMG_URL: https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/the-art-of-happiness-cover.png
\nBOOK_SUMMARYURL: the-art-of-happiness-summary-dalai-lama
\nAMZN_ID: XYZ
\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nAristotle: Happiness Is Making the Right Choices<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Reason<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Virtue<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Activity<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Jordan Peterson: The Pursuit of Happiness Is a Pointless Goal<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\r\nAUTHOR: Jordan Peterson
\r\nTIME: 31
\r\nREADS: 78
\r\nIMG_URL: https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/12rules_cover.jpg
\r\nBOOK_SUMMARYURL: 12-rules-for-life-summary-jordan-peterson
\r\nAMZN_ID: B01FPGY5T0
\r\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nFinal Words<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n