Miguel de Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote, said, "The road is better than the inn."
This seems counterintuitive. Isn't it in achieving our goal that we find satisfaction and joy? The road is long and tedious. How could that be better than arriving at our destination?
Happiness researchers Shawn Achor and Michelle Gielan have found that Cervantes is indeed correct. The key to happiness is experiencing joy as we advance toward goals that are meaningful to us.
There are several things we need to do then if we want to be truly happy, however. The first is to have meaningful goals.
We need to be working toward something that we feel good about. This could be getting an education, raising a child, winning a championship, growing a business, making it through a difficult situation with our integrity intact, or changing the world.
The second thing we need to do is to foster a spirit of gratitude. It is so important each day to take time to write down or to talk about what we are thankful for. In doing so, we realize that we are indeed progressing, and that even the smallest step has meaning.
Of course there will come a time when we achieve our goal. Won't that be the end of our happiness? When fostering this attitude, we will likely find that we become reflective in achieving our goals and set further targets as we move forward in life.
Professional football player Aaron Rodgers, for example, found that after winning the Super Bowl in 2011, he was not satisfied. Something within him filled him with a desire to use his fame to make a positive difference in the world. Today he is a spokesperson for Raise Hope for Congo and is fostering awareness of horrible crimes against humanity happening in a place that much of the world has forgotten.
Though Congo remains one of the most dangerous places to live, especially for women, we are seeing stability slowly return to the region. When we have meaningful goals, we know that we are part of the solution to the world's problems. We know, for example, that through our continued effort, lasting peace will be established in Congo.
We need to remember as well that it takes time to achieve what is meaningful in life. We live in a world of instant gratification. I want this, so I buy it. If I do not feel like I am making a significant difference by doing my job today, I must be a failure. If no one likes my post on Facebook, there must be something wrong with me. In order to achieve true happiness, we need to move beyond the short-term gain mindset.
In working with children and youth, it is important to remember that we are making a long-term investment. As we celebrate the successes along the way, from learning to speak to learning to turn in assignments on time, we are building the great leaders of the future.
We also need to realize that in achieving our goals, there is no such thing as failure. Any coach knows that you learn more from losing than you do from winning. If we are going to be our best, we need to embrace challenges. Things will not always turn out as we planned. As we move forward in life, we will see that this is a good thing.
Have meaningful goals and be thankful for every step along the way. The key to a happy life really is that simple.
As Shawn Achor says, "Happiness is the joy we feel as we're moving toward our potential."
