Pursuit and Happiness
I had a client a number of years back. I met Omar at a treatment center for hardcore addicts back in the mid-90′s. When he got it through his thick skull that he did not have to be out on the streets shooting dope and smoking crack, he was one of the most wonderful, talented guys I met there. He used to tell a story that would mesmerize other clients. It as about a cat. I hope I can do it justice -
There was this cat, a kitten really.His name was Chester. I have no ideas why they named him that; it seemed to me a silly name for a cat. An average cat, there was one unique thing about Chester. He had happiness on his tail. Chester would spend hours trying to catch happiness. Round and round he would go, snapping at happiness, sometimes almost getting it in his little teeth, but never quite caught it. Finally, Chester was exhausted, and he flopped down under a chair and then something came to him, Call it enlightenment if you wish. But he got up, and just started walking and he realized that when he did, happiness would follow him wherever he would go.
How do we chase happiness?
- Make money?
- Take drugs? (illegal and legal)
- Find the perfect relationships?
- Get the best job?
- Win at all costs?
And are we any happier for these efforts?
Nancy Etcoff has some intriguing answers in this TED talk.
We are wired to pursue happiness, not only to enjoy it, but to want more and more of it. So given that that’s true, how good are we at increasing our happiness? Well, we certainly try. If you look on the Amazon site, there are over 2,000 titles with advice on the seven habits, the nine choices, the 14,000 thoughts that are supposed to bring happiness. There are so many books on it. — Nancy Etcoff
One of her statements that really intrigued me is that people are happier when they forget about themselves.� Omar was a happy guy.� He was not yet thirty when he was shot down randomly.� As I was thinking how terrible this was, I realized that very possibly,� Omar probably experienced more happiness, natural happiness, the kind chasing doesn’t get us, than many have in a life time.
Mike
