Happiness vs Usefulness
What is the purpose of life? Happiness. Isn’t it?
And I bet that I’m not the only person thinking so. Even if we try to look around our social circle, we find that most people are pursuing happiness in their lives. Logically speaking what else could be the sole purpose of life. All of us are trying to be happy in our lives and in due process we need some worldly pleasures to achieve so. That’s why we collectively buy shit we don’t need, go to bed with people we don’t care about, and try to work hard to get the approval of people we don’t like.
We all try our best in our capacity to ensure that we achieve happiness in our life. But in the quest for happiness, we mistakenly equate happiness with success. And success comprises of multiple worldly milestones and benchmarks which may range from buying your new Villa to getting your next promotion. But at the end of the day, you’re lying in your bed (alone or next to your spouse), and you think: “What’s next in this endless pursuit of happiness?”
Well, let me tell you, Its all a façade. A hoax.
Happiness can never be a goal in itself as it is not something that can be achieved in itself. It is just a by-product of an individual’s usefulness. Most of the things which we do in life are just activities and experiences.
· You go shopping
· You go to work
· You go on a holiday trip
· You have your favourite Martini
· You have your favourite Dinner
· You buy an expensive Car
· You get a much-awaited promotion
All these activities and experiences should make you happy, right? But they are not useful. You’re not creating anything. You’re just consuming or doing something. To be honest, none of these things gives meaning to life. Happiness comes from a sense of usefulness. You feel a sense of satisfaction even by a mere act of helping someone cross a road or lending your seat to an aged individual. The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.
Happiness can never be achieved but can only be experienced as a by-product of our actions. Our small acts of gratitude, kindness, generosity and love are the sole ingredients of living a life with purpose. If we try to cultivate these habits in our day-to-day life, it will not only give a purpose to our life but also a sense of satisfaction and happiness.
Let’s try to cultivate these values in our lifestyle and be the change we want to see in the world.
