Happiness is a key ingredient for project and business success. Happiness, of course, is very subjective.  On the other side there are three elements that are recurring when asking people about their understanding of happiness.  These three elements are:

(1) pleasure

(2) purpose

(3) passion

While pleasure seems obvious to most people, purpose and passion go deeper.  They imply that in order to find happiness you have to know what your driver – your purpose – is.  Seems simple?  Yes, it is, or it ought to be.  Unfortunately, a lot of people fall prone to their own hectic lifestyle and calendars, pressure from society and business.  As a consequence they move further and further away from knowing their purpose.  They are becoming hamster running in a wheel, spinning faster and faster.  No wonder it is more likely that you get a response to the question “What makes you unhappy?” rather than the question “What makes you happy?”

Interestingly when you ask a child the question “what makes you happy?” you are more likely to receive a response.  How come?! I believe it is because children have less fallen victims to external pressure (even though they too can have quite a weekly schedule with sports clubs, music lessons, etc.).  They live in the moment, can – or shall we say, are allowed to – be passionate about their activities.

[Image credit: premasagar]
[Image credit: premasagar]
Hence, today, let’s stop for a moment and ask ourselves what deep inside motivates us, what we are passionate about.  Let’s listen within and find the spark of happiness which makes our lives so much easier and at the same time moves us closer to happiness and success.