Success and happiness are the two most important things for most people. Everyone, to a greater or lesser extent, likes to be successful in different areas (professional, sports…). And of course, we also love to be happy, to feel good about ourselves. I wrote about this in my previous post “Success and Happiness.”
Success is often seen as the gateway to happiness, as a sine qua non requirement to achieve it. But this way of thinking has been proven to be completely wrong. Excessive work, the pursuit of perfection, and not taking care of your personal well-being can lead to burnout and dissatisfaction. Arthur Brooks, author and professor at Harvard University known for his work on happiness and leadership, shows us that we need to change our way of thinking about this. Brooks states that “it is essential to create a balance, avoid excessive work, and seek meaning and purpose in what we do.”
I wanted to share with you three key ideas that Arthur Brooks recommends for finding happiness and success at work and in life:
- Balance your work and personal life: excessive work decreases happiness, as studies show that addictive work behavior leads to stress, family conflicts, and burnout. Protect your time and energy by creating boundaries between work, leisure, and personal life. As Brooks often says, “Satisfaction does not come from chasing ever bigger things, but from paying attention to ever smaller things.”
- Seek meaning in your work: the most rewarding jobs are those that provide a sense of purpose and service to others. Even if your job does not seem inherently service-oriented, you can find meaning by helping your colleagues and contributing to a positive work environment. As Brooks highlights, “The pursuit of passion makes life worthwhile.”
- Set happiness goals: set goals for your well-being this year. Make goals about your friendships, family relationships, faith, and leisure. This approach will help you find happiness, and your professional success will surely follow. Brooks indicates that “Happiness is not found in a finite list of goals that we can diligently complete and then rest. It is how we live our lives in the process. That is why the four pillars of happiness are faith, family, community, and meaningful work. These are priorities in which we must continue to invest.”
So now you know. Seeking happiness first is the key to achieving success. Prioritize balance, meaning, and well-being, and you will multiply your chances of success. Remember Arthur Brooks‘ advice:
“Happiness actually predicts success. Success does not predict happiness. You have to the casualty right and take your happiness more seriously than anything else.”
