The Essence of Happiness

“The essence of true happiness is subordinating what we want now for what we want eventually.”  Stephen R. Covey 

I enjoy basketball and have been playing the sport since I was very young and one of my favorite times of the year is during the NBA Championship.  Watching the two best basketball teams with some of the greatest athletes in the world compete for the title of Champion is exhilarating.   

This year while watching the championship series I noticed I was not only anticipatory of the games but also down right impatient.  After one game would end, I was ready to watch another!  And having to wait several days in between them was torturous—so much so that by the time the game would finally arrive I was almost angry by the wait, which caused me to not enjoy the game as much. 

I think this level of impatience is pretty common in our society today.  We see it all the time.  Rather than wait and work and put in the effort before we get something, we just want it right now!  Often times we see others with what we want so we just click a few buttons and then voila, we have it.    Waiting has become almost nonexistent in our world with modern technology and the World Wide Web that I fear we may be missing out.  Rather than giving up what we want now for a better good or a higher cause, we take what we can get and refuse to wait.          

I believe those that are happiest in life are patient.  They have a vision for the future and put in the work and wait to get what they eventually want most in life.  They don’t expect instant results and supplant their everyday wants with a focus toward their ultimate goal.  They understand that waiting is an important part of the process.  Normally in life, the most personal satisfaction comes from those things that take time, effort, and energy before we earn them.  And this is the “essence of happiness.” 

Vision for Life

“You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage, non-apologetically, to say “no” to other things.  And the way to do that is by having a bigger “yes” burning inside.”  Stephen R. Covey

 

Having a vision for our life is so important.  Without a vision we surely will never become what we ought to become or do what we ought to do.  There are too many distractions in our world today, too many voices pulling us one way or another.  Without a vision we will be like a wave in the ocean, driven by the wind and tossed around without direction. 

The ability to say “no” when something is not aligned with our vision is an important leadership trait.  Establishing a vision and living true to it is not easy.  There are so many enticing and alluring things thrown at us all of the time that can easily derail us and distract us from what we want most in life.  Having the discipline to say “no” when others are saying “yes” is difficult for all of us.

Having a vision for our life, an ultimate destiny and desire, is so critical though.  When properly created and properly held in our mind, our vision can guide our actions, help us establish and align our goals, and lead us on a path that is focused and disciplined.  Having a vision will allow us to become our best selves.

So what is your highest priority in life?  What do you hope to accomplish more than anything else?  What or who do you want to become?  If you aren’t sure, decide today what is most important, create a clear vision of what that looks like in your mind, let it burn within you, and then move toward it minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day. 

Inevitably there will be slip ups, wrong roads we will take, and time wasted along the way but don’t get discouraged and don’t give up.  Keep focused on who you really are and what you really want!