Prosperity from Happiness or Meaning?

Do what you love and the money will follow?

I’m afraid this adage has been misconstrued by many to mean do what makes you happy. The problem is, happiness is an elusive, temporary condition without a foundation. It blows in the winds of emotion. The real foundation of anything you do is meaning.

The pursuit of something that makes a difference in other people’s lives is fundamental to survival of the society and the strength of the immune system for the individual. We are hard-wired to be healthy when we are contributing to the well-being of our species and planet.

When we become unproductive all systems recognize that we become parasites and threaten the future well-being of the species. It’s only been in modern times that this vital link and understanding has been lost. Living in the age of media and sensationalism, we are fed a constant stream of messages that focus on overstimulating our “happy” neurological chemicals. But these highs are temporary as the chemicals are very volatile and are metabolized very quickly.

To make it worse, social media, television, and marketing all focus on making us feel that we don’t have enough happiness and therefore we need to consume products and experiences that will give us happiness. The reality is that if people could find meaning in their lives, happiness would be ever present.

As stated in a business article on happiness , only 4 in 10 people actually have meaningful lives. It’s no wonder that the legal and illegal drug markets, as well as entertainment fields, consume so much money. When people find meaning in their lives the need for entertainment and mood-altering drugs is eliminated. Meaningful activities satisfy them on many levels.

So back to the point of the adage; Be careful to do what has meaning for you. You’ll find prosperity both because your body and society are wired to support you when you’re doing something that has true value and it also prevents the squandering of resources on pursuits to fill the hole that a meaningless life creates.

So what has meaning for you? What do you really care about? What do you see in the world that needs to be improved and that you feel passionate about? That’s where your energy should be focused. If it’s focused on getting high, drunk, laid or the next vacation or trip to the casino, you will want to consider rebooting your life and shifting your focus. You will be glad you did.

Kris

P.S. I have had the privilege of being surrounded by people who live meaningful lives throughout my life. I also get to see what happens to our students at Spa Tech Institute when they go from working a job to creating a career where they’re helping people to improve their lives. The transformation is astounding.

Thank you to all of our students, staff, and graduates. You are an inspiration that gets me through the toughest of times.

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