I have recently been asked in my coaching sessions whether finding ones purpose leads to happiness. Whether happiness is equivalent to a life on purpose or how do both differ from each other.
In today’s post I hope to shed light on the differences and similarities of both.
Happiness or feeling good and Purpose or finding meaning both play a crucial role in order to keep individuals fully engaged and productive – yet most measures that foster happiness experiences are rather short-lived and, perhaps even more important, easy to copy by competitors – whereas conditions that foster meaning and purpose are rather hard to replicate.
Veronika Huta provides an exquisit outline between happiness and purpose orientations in life (and work) in her book chapter by the University of Ottawa.
I have consolidated the key takeaways below:
Happiness, in short, is about:
pleasure, enjoyment, and satisfaction;
the absence of distress.
Purpose is more complex in it´s nature, it´s about:
authenticity: clarifying one’s true self and deep values, staying connected with them, and acting in accord with them;
meaning: understanding a bigger picture, relating to it, and contributing to it. This may include broader aspects of one´s life or identity, a purpose, the long term, the community, society, even the entire ecosystem;
excellence: striving for higher quality and higher standards in one’s behavior, performance, accomplishments, and ethics;
personal growth: self-actualization, fulfilling one’s potential and pursuing personal goals; growth, seeking challenges; and maturing as a human being.
Other important attributes and distinctions:
Happiness is associated with:
physical and emotional needs;
desire;
what feels good;
taking, for me, now;
ease;
rights;
pleasure;
self-nourishing and self-care; taking care of one’s own needs and desires, typically in the present or near future; reaching personal release and peace, replenishment; energy and joy.
Purpose is associated with:
cognitive values and ideals
care;
what feels right;
giving, building, something broader, the long-term;
effort;
responsibilities;
elevation;
cultivating; giving of oneself, investing in a larger aspect of the self, a long-term project, or the surrounding word; quality, rightness, context, the welfare of others.
It is important to point out that both pathways to fulfillment are not mutually exclusive (in the strict sense). Meaningful experiences can certainly bring about pleasure – and taking care of ourselves can certainly add meaning to our lives. As such, we shall also refrain from equating the pursuit of happiness with shallowness. As the graphic below illustrates, we need to grow on both dimensions in order to live a truly fulfilling life.
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