Three Minute Leadership: Four Easy Steps to Happiness

Philip Humbert, leadership coach and guru, in a recent note, The Four Steps to Happiness, writes about how to achieve happiness in our life.  Happiness is different than pleasure, which he comments can be found by anyone who has a credit card.  Happiness is much deeper and more fulfilling.  He defines happiness as “consistent feelings of satisfaction or joy when remembering the past, living in the present and considering the future.”  He shares four suggestions to live a happy life:

1.  Take happiness seriously. Happiness doesn’t seem to “just happen.” It’s not a matter of luck or chance or youth or lucky genes. Happiness is something to go after, something to study and consider. Happiness is a goal, a skill and a result of living a life consistent with your values. Take it seriously.

2.  Notice what makes you happy and do more of it. If mowing the lawn or growing roses makes you happy, great! If taking the kids fishing makes you happy, do that! If working on your business makes you happy, go for it! Build your life around the things that bring joy and make you happy.

3.  Be happy today. Don’t wait to be happy and don’t let happiness depend on “what happens!”  Happiness is largely a “do it yourself” project. It’s connected to gratitude, optimism, love and laughter. As Bobby McFarrin recommended, “Don’t worry, be happy” and start today. Happiness is not a “someday” dream. It’s a skill we practice every single day. Be happy.

4.  Invest in happiness! Take time and give thought to a life of fulfillment and happiness. Pray or meditate about it. Ponder it, and take action! Do the things that bring joy and satisfaction. Create space and a budget for both pleasure and (more importantly) for happiness! Laugh every day. Be kind. Do something nice for someone else, whether you get credit for it or not. Learn something new. Start something. Stop being “normal!” Dream big and dream often!

A. A. Milne in his book, Winnie the Pooh, provides a clue to those special moments of happiness in our life: “’Well,’ said Pooh, ‘what I like best,’ and then he had to stop and think.  Because although eating honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn’t know what it was called.” We can find that same excitement in our joyous anticipation of the beauty that each moment will bring, and the happiness is gives. It is up to each of us to find those special moments.  As Sydney H. Harris, journalist, writes: “Happiness is a direction, not a place.” The words of Robert Brault, American operatic tenor, add to this: “The search for happiness is unlike any other search, for we search last in the likeliest places.”   Be happy today! Notice what makes you happy and do more of it! Be happy today!  Invest in happiness.  It is something to be achieved, not waited on… and you will change your life forever.

Have a beautiful day and a magnificent week!!!

Mike