Happiness Is Pursuing Purpose, Not Success

 Dear Readers,

Most of us believe that success leads to happiness. We constantly chase something or the other, that will lead us to ‘success’. Our sense of success is competitive and quantifiable – in terms of our progress in our lifestyle and relationships, and across our financial, professional and social standing. But pursuing success is like participating in an endless race – you just can’t win, because success constantly resets its own winning point, setting the bar each time higher than the last. And so, we end up disgruntled, having to redefine our sense of success, which, in the long run, is as demotivating as it is anti-climactic.

As Zarthostis, we’re wired for far more than mere survival – happiness is our birthright! But success, as we know, can be elusive. And once our basic needs and desires are met, greater wealth has a diminishing incremental impact on our happiness. The answer lies in finding our purpose. Mark Zuckerberg pretty much hit the nail on the head with, “Purpose is that sense that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Purpose is what creates true happiness.”

We can find our purpose ensconced between what we care most about, and where we can most contribute to make a positive difference in the lives of others. A sense of purpose is an increasingly strong predictor of happiness and a powerful antidote to depression. Based on studies, purpose-driven people are more likely to be leaders, have greater levels of career satisfaction, possess higher net-worth, enjoy greater overall contentment and live longer. Committing to a purpose is becoming part of a cause bigger than ourselves – it empowers our personalities with courage and confidence and gives us an unparalleled sense of success.

It would serve us well to pursue a purpose that resonates with our hearts, instead of blindly chasing success. That would truly lead us to our happiness, as individuals and as a Community.

Have a good weekend!

– Anahita

(anahita@parsi-times.com)