How You Grow Your Happiness Makes a Difference

Both pleasurable activities and meaningful activities give rise to happiness.

But happiness derived solely from pleasure has shallow roots. The frustrations and setbacks of each day easily diminish the sense of reward.

Happiness derived from living a meaningful life has deeper roots. It is not easily changed by momentary ups and downs. Moreover, research shows that happiness built from being engaged in a purpose-driven life enhances the chances of succeeding in other areas of life as well.

The ancient Greeks referred to this type of happiness as eudaimonia.

It cannot be built through efforts aimed at the acquisition of worldly objects. Instead, its foundation is built on wisely using one’s gifts and abilities to advance the good. This approach to life is one that Socrates talked about extensively in Plato's dialogues.

The opposite of eudaimonic happiness is hedonistic happiness. There are many forms of hedonism, but no matter the specific form, hedonism attempts to build a happy life by maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain.

These are polar opposites: seeking a meaningful purpose-driven life versus the tenacious search to maximize pleasure.

One brings delayed rewards, the other immediate pleasures. One is difficult to pursue, the other very straightforward. The first brings deep happiness, the second brings momentary enjoyment.

One barrier to pursuing sticky happiness is the push from our modern culture to follow the hedonistic path. This is a ubiquitous message that can be found in media, sports, and entertainment.

Another barrier to pursuing sticky happiness is the difficulty many have in discerning what the higher "purpose" of their life might be. Those who belong to a community of faith generally find this much easier to identify as compared to their secular counterparts.

But even within communities of faith, many struggle with this question. Very often this is because they have not yet learned how to use their unique talents and interests in ways that advance the good (the Socratic approach).

What’s more, fully using one’s abilities very often involves significant pain and a sense of privation, at least in the short term. This is a challenge.

Even those born with a wellspring of musical talent, for example, will still need to devote thousands of hours of practice to master their craft.

These hours of practice will require discipline, time away from family, friends, and pleasurable activities. The road to excellence is built on the altar upon which immediate pleasures have been sacrificed.

Tenacity and grit are put to the test. Eventually, these efforts result in the full expression of the musician’s innate abilities and the creation of sublime music. In turn, this leads to a sense of deeply rooted happiness.

Persistent effort directed at achieving a meaningful goal (usually involving the forestalling of immediate pleasures) leads to deeper and longer-lasting happiness than pleasure-directed behavior focused on immediate gratification.