Did Aristotle lie to us when he said:
“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.”
Is this true….or was Aristotle pulling the wool over our eyes?
Perhaps we should look at that quote from a different angle. Because when you read it, you think that happiness is the primary goal. And that is what the quote says as well. But in reality, it is not.
Happiness can’t be a goal in and of itself. Perhaps what Aristotle meant is that happiness is merely a by-product of usefulness.
When I discuss this concept with friends, family, and colleagues, I often find it challenging to articulate it in words. However, I will give it a try here.
Most things we do in life are just activities and experiences.
- You go on vacation.
- You enjoy the company of family and friends.
- You go to work.
- You go shopping.
- You have drinks.
- You have dinner.
- You buy a car.
- You buy a house.
- You invest successfully.
Those things should make you happy, right? Of course they do. But they are not useful. You are not creating anything. You are just consuming or doing something. And that is great. It is OK. Please do not get me wrong. I love to go on vacation or go shopping sometimes. I love the thrill of making a successful investment. But to be honest, it is not what gives meaning to my life.
What really makes me happy is when I am useful. When I create something that others can use or benefit from. When I see the wonderful look on a student’s face after he or she grasps the subject matter I am teaching. Or even when I create something I can use, a new workbench or a new knick-knack for hanging keys.
For the longest time, I found it challenging to explain the concept of usefulness and happiness. But when I recently ran into a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, the dots finally connected.
Emerson says:
“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
So, how about you? Did you do useful things in your lifetime? You do not have to change the world or develop a cure for cancer, although that would certainly benefit mankind. You just need to make it a little bit better than before you were born and teach your children and your students and those you work with to “pay it forward.” If you do not know how, consider the following ideas for starters:
- Help your boss with something that is not your responsibility.
- Take your mother or grandmother to a spa.
- Make something beautiful for your mom and grandma on Mother’s Day
- Help the elderly couple across the street take their groceries inside.
- Help the pregnant lady who also has a 2-year old with her stroller load her groceries and child into her car.
- Call your friend or neighbor and ask if you can help him or her with something.
- Take your elderly neighbor shopping or to church.
- Start a business and hire employees…. and treat them well….and learn something about each one, their sons or daughters, their birthdays.
- Volunteer at a soup kitchen to feed the homeless…especially on holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas or Easter
- Visit Disabled Veterans and bring them some smiles.
Make some positive difference that you have lived at all.
