2 Strategies to reach Happiness

There are 2 basic Strategies you can choose from which will both increase your well-being and are applicable every day in every situation. Because of the nature of us as humans, there are two basic needs which drive fulfillment and happiness:

The first need is Growth. Whatever we do in work or family, we instinctively want to grow.  When we feel like we grow and get better at something we feel good about ourselves and our situation. We all want to get better at something and enjoy the benefits that excellence can give us. It gives us Pride and Satisfaction in our own character. On the other hand we feel unhappy when we are stuck in the same place, having to resign to our circumstances.

 Not every way of growth fits every individual nature - different personalities like different ways of growing. For some people they enjoy learning through reading, others love developing relationships or growing through promotions and responsibility.

We especially love to grow areas and skills that make us passionate.

At any rate, growth will always feel good in a way that is priceless to our sense of purpose.

So where ever you are at in your life, initiate growth in a way that seems fun and pleasurable to you. If you have a bad day, try to read something that will give you a new insight, or ask the people around you to teach you something valuable for your work. If you are able to end your day with the knowledge that you have grown and bettered yourself in one or many ways, your well-being and pride will naturally increase.

The other Strategy is to contribute. Aside from our need as humans to grow and become more, we are also instinctively connected to others. It creates a feeling of contentment to help someone other than ourselves.

You might object that this is a specific strategy only a few people enjoy but the truth is: the only reason we might not enjoy contributing is because we have a set of excuses for ourselves why the other person/group might not appreciate or benefit from our contribution. We all have had experiences where we added to someone else's day and it felt great, maybe even because we were able to take the focus off ourselves for a moment and see someone else's circumstances. Contribution is a natural human trait, only tainted in today’s world because of our limiting beliefs and excuses. True contribution will always enhance well-being since we enjoy seeing ourselves as someone with Virtues and Integrity.

Growth and Contribution are both strategies for making a difference: in the one way we make a difference for our own life, whereas the other strategy is about making a difference for someone else. If you can find specific ways to apply those two strategies into your day and recognize opportunities to make a difference, you will always feel good and be proud of yourself. Feeling good about yourself will then increase your self-esteem which will draw people to you.

In his work about ethics, Aristotle points out that you can never be happy until you have true self-esteem and see yourself as a good person, acting according to the Virtues common for humans. Act with Growth and Contribution in mind and you will never fail to feel purpose or satisfaction in your life.

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