Blog

The state of happiness is the highest state of being on this earth. The whole concept of success is premised on happiness; happiness is thus what we all sought to achieve. Take some time and think about it; whatever state you are now or whatever you are doing now is based on happiness. You wake up every morning to work because you believe it will make you happy; you are going to school because you believe it will make you happy; you are getting married and having children because you believe it will make you happy; etc. Everything you do is premised on happiness.

 

I have a friend who believed having more money is equivalent to happiness. Due to his humble background and his inability to secure a lucrative job since graduating from university, he wanted money very badly that he complains of his lack of money every single time we discuss. So one day, I offered him a million naira for his two eyes. He definitely understood my incessant advice that having more money will never make him happier; it will only put him in a temporary state of happiness. It is this temporary state of happiness that we all unconsciously strive for.

 

 

Imagine Olu who has been looking for a job and finally cinched one in a bank. He was so happy that he did thanksgiving and gave testimony in the church. He told everybody and they rejoiced with him. Three months later, Olu was very sad and dejected even sadder than when he did not have a job. Why? He could not meet one-quarter the target that was set for him and he may possibly get sacked. He was so sad that he developed migraine and his blood level was so high. The same job that made him happy is the same job that is killing him.

 

 

Olu’s case is not really abnormal; it’s what we all experience in one given field of life or the other be it marriage, children, promotion at work, etc. our reference frame is thus defining happiness as getting what we want but getting what we want may further lead to unhappiness. This is a dichotomy of life. There is this funny culture from the United States where you struggle to get what you want and when you finally get it; you will be happy forever more: this state where you get what you want is called the American dream. The humorous side of this is that you will definitely wake up from such dreams.

 

 

There is a video below. I want to share with you: Dan Gilbert – a Harvard psychologist challenges our beliefs on what will make us happy: He supports his premise with intriguing research. It is worth listening to and thinking over, then draw your conclusion;