Happiness first

‘When I have a loving family, a great career, a bunch of dependable friends and can lead a lavish lifestyle, I will be happy.’

We often frame happiness as a consequence of solving all of our other problems. This framing hasn’t quite worked out. Even after we achieve every goal we wish for, we aren’t happy. Like the heads of Hydra, every goal we achieve simply spawns another goal or two.

What if we turned this logic around. ‘If I am happy, I will nurture a loving family, enjoy a great career, make a bunch of dependable friends, and earn enough wealth to be satisfied’. What if we chose happiness first – right now, in this moment – ahead of every other goal that takes its place?

If you’re happy to start off with, every other goal is easier to achieve.