738: What Defines Happiness

It’s fair to say that happiness is one of the most important goals we can pursue in life because not much else matters if you’re not deriving some happiness from this journey we are all on - but how do we define happiness, what can we do to improve our overall happiness, and how might we be sabotaging ourselves in the pursuit of it?

What to Listen For

• What is the definition of happiness?
• What is the difference between contentment and pleasure with how they relate to your pursuit of happiness?
• How does having meaning in your life weave into your ability to be happy?
• AJ and Johnny explain the significance of being present and how it demands regular practice in order to make it stick
• What are the three primary influencing factors in your happiness?
• How important are the circumstances in which you live when it comes to your overall happiness?
• Are your genetics the biggest or smallest contributor to our happiness?
• Why are your mindset and actions the most important factor of happiness even though they’re not the biggest contributing factor?
• If happiness comes down to leading a good, meaningful life then how do you design such a life to maximize your happiness?
• What is the Vice-Joy-Dedication Gradient and how does it relate to your ability to find purpose and meaning in life?
• What do all the successful individuals we look up to have in common and how can you implement it immediately?
• How can you find meaning in your work if you hate what you do?
• On average, what percentage of our waking lives do we spend daydreaming and how does it impact our ability to be happy and successful?

Attaining and maintaining happiness in life is about much more than the simple joy we feel when we engage in acts and events that bring us pleasure. Much of it comes down to the why behind our actions and goals.

If we don’t have a deeper motivation for our day to day lives we can struggle to find happiness in the sometimes seemingly insignificant things we do, like a job you hate but one you need in order to get to the one you want, or suffering through brutal workouts in order to maintain your health and achieve your fitness goals.

Always be willing to ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?” until you can get to a point where there is no deeper answer.

A Word From Our Sponsors

Share your vulnerabilities, victories, and questions in our 17,000-member private Facebook group at theartofcharm.com/challenge. This is a unique opportunity where everyone — both men and women — celebrate your accountability on the way to becoming the best version of yourself. Register today here!

Squarespace is the all-in-one solution for anyone looking to create a beautiful website. Go to squarespace.com/charm for a free trial and use the offer code CHARM to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

GREATS designs classically inspired sneakers for men and women using luxury high quality materials and construction. Go to greats.com

Resources from this Episode

736: How to Rewire your Brain for Success | w/ Lisa Wimberger

735: The Best Ways to Rewrite Bad Habits w/ Charles Duhigg

Happiness: it’s not just your genes, stupid!

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport

Check in with AJ and Johnny!

AJ on Instagram

Johnny on Twitter