Did you ever realize that pursuing happiness often leaves you feeling miserable and dissatisfied, and the negative emotions experienced in the pursuit of happiness are the exact opposite of what you were seeking? The happiness paradox is what it sounds like—a Catch-22 situation. While we’d like to believe that achieving happiness is as simple as continuously pursuing it, the reality is more nuanced. To put it simply, happiness isn’t just another box we can check.
5 simple ways to shift your perspective in pursuit of happiness
Every business leader needs a roadmap because a roadmap gives clarity. When your vision is not clear, you are not going to run toward it as hard as you can. But as you follow the business roadmap, don’t throw away your life roadmap. These two can go alongside each other and sometimes even intertwine. These steps can help you recentre your perspective and redefine what happiness is for you:
1 Identify habits that result in happiness.
Ironically, giving up on pursuing happiness is one of the secrets to happiness. Instead of striving to feel happy all the time, just try changing your perspective and do what makes you happy.
When you feel good about all or most aspects of your life, you make better decisions in business and life. We may be aware of this simple fact. Yet, how many of us are disciplined enough to systematise the process of taking care of our happiness? Start by identifying the habits that you know contribute to your happiness and making them an integral part of your roadmap to success.
2 Change your mindset to make better decisions.
Happiness is relative. Most people don’t place enough importance on the different sources of happiness. Learn to systemize the process for your own happiness. When you are not just pursuing happiness at the moment but have joy in your life, it makes you a better leader, team member, and person. It improves your mindset to the point where you can make better decisions every day.
3 Put yourself first to achieve your goals.
At some point, we need to understand how putting ourselves first is going to transform our lives. When you care enough about your business, you stop putting yourself first. All of a sudden, achieving your goals becomes non-negotiable. So you need to be very disciplined about the boundaries you set in place. You don’t want to lose not only the momentum but also the joy of life as you work towards your goal.
4 Never lose sight of the 4 Cs.
Always stay focused on the four Cs: choice, control, commitment, and clarity. When you keep the four C’s, you derive a consistent level of happiness. Think about this for a moment. When we know we have a choice, we feel happier.
When we are happy, we feel like we are in control. And when we are in control, we understand and accept the commitments we need to make. Once you have clarity about your “why,” you are not going to beat yourself up about the commitments you need to keep. So just do what makes you happy to derive the happiness you desire.
5 Realize that happiness lies within you.
A lot of people are searching for happiness outside, but that is not sustainable. What they miss is that true happiness is always within us. We have to find happiness within ourselves. So slow down just enough to understand how you can tap into the happiness you have within yourself.
Pursuing happiness is not the same as pursuing success.
In pursuit of happiness, people often mistake success for happiness. Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting and being content with what you get. Some people sacrifice their happiness for success. On the other hand, some people pursue success in order to find happiness. But here’s the thing: Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.
Remember:
- When you make happiness an integral part of your business roadmap, it helps you make better business decisions.
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. So pursue happiness to succeed in life.
- You have to be clear on the four Cs: choice, control, commitment, and clarity.
