If we can accept as true that life circumstances are not the keys to happiness, we'll be greatly empowered to pursue happiness for ourselves.
Sonja LyubomirskyRead
It turns out that the process of working toward a goal, participating in a valued and challenging activity, is as important to well-being as its attainment.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The journey toward achieving a goal contributes significantly to our happiness, not just the final outcome.
Sonja Lyubomirsky emphasizes that the act of working towards a goal is equally, if not more important than actually achieving it. Engaging in meaningful and challenging tasks fosters a sense of purpose and fulfillment, contributing to one's overall well-being. This perspective shifts the focus from solely valuing the end result to appreciating the growth and experience gained along the way.
Themes
GoalWell-BeingHappinessJourneySuccess
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about personal growth, you can emphasize the importance of enjoying the journey.
More from Sonja Lyubomirsky
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Happiness is not out there for us to find. The reason that it's not out there is that it's inside us.
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People prone to joyful anticipation, skilled at obtaining pleasure from looking forward and imagining future happy events, are especially likely to be optimistic and to experience intense emotions.
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The combination of rumination and negative mood is toxic. Research shows that people who ruminate while sad or distraught are likely to feel besieged, powerless, self-critical, pessimistic, and generally negatively biased.
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Thus the key to happiness lies not in changing our genetic makeup (which is impossible) and not in changing our circumstances (i.e., seeking wealth or attractiveness or better colleagues, which is usually impractical), but in our daily intentional activities.
Sonja LyubomirskyRead
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