You on PurposeSample

DAY 2: Pursue Purpose Before Happiness

Imagine yourself at an amusement park. You’re trying to figure out which direction will bring you the most happiness. You finally choose one of the many roller coasters and, as you wait, you look around at other rides and wonder if you’re getting on the best one. By the time you get seated, you’re wishing you’d tried that bigger one with more screams. Instead of enjoying the ride you’re on, you anxiously wait to get off. It can feel the same when you make any important decision in life.

We asked career coaching professionals to what extent they believe happiness is one of life’s ultimate goals. Almost all of them said happiness should only be a byproduct of a meaningful life, not a primary pursuit. One said a better approach is “the pursuit of flourishing. This will often (not always) bring happiness, but in the context of sacrificial love for others... Happiness alone will lead to pursuits of instant gratification, unhealthy consumption, and other troubles.” 

Those of us who grew up in certain Christian traditions should know better, because we learned the chief end of man is not happiness, but “to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” Still, we tend to warp the idea of enjoyment into happiness — forgetting that our goal is the enjoyment of God. This nuance matters, because defining what we’re after is a critical part of uncovering our callings; otherwise we can end up pursuing the wrong thing. This is particularly important when so many of us have been forced to hit the reset button on our lives. 

Clarifying your goals and objectives gives you an understanding of what you were made for, so you can move toward it and eventually live with purpose — the secret to what people call “happiness.” When you pursue purpose first, it’s more likely that you’ll find satisfaction. A sense of purpose draws people outside of themselves as they engage in activities that are captivating, energizing, and filled with opportunities to learn and grow. This leads to greater well-being and a sense of personal satisfaction — a much deeper form of happiness.

Purpose-oriented people are more than twice as likely to describe themselves as “fulfilled” in life. What connection might you expect to find between happiness and fulfillment?