Life’s Purpose is Not Happiness But Contribution

Summary

The article argues that life's purpose is found in contribution rather than happiness, suggesting that sustainable joy and contentment come from helping others and making a positive impact.

Abstract

The author of the article presents a personal perspective, supported by scientific research, that the true essence of life lies in the act of contributing to others rather than pursuing personal happiness. This perspective is grounded in the belief that the joy derived from helping someone else is unparalleled and leads to a more enduring sense of purpose and well-being. The article emphasizes that self-improvement is a prerequisite to contributing effectively, as one must be in a state of fullness to give fully to others. It challenges the commonly held notion that happiness is the ultimate life goal by pointing out its transient nature and argues that a sustainable state of joy is achieved through various forms of contribution, such as parenting, writing, building valuable organizations, educating oneself and others, and simply being kind.

Opinions

Happiness is temporary and cannot be relied upon as the sole purpose of life.
Acts of kindness are linked to increased levels of happiness, as supported by a study from the universities of Oxford and Bournemouth.
Self-contribution is necessary before one can effectively contribute to others, akin to filling one's own cup before pouring out to others.
The pursuit of happiness as a life goal is undermined by its fleeting nature and susceptibility to external factors.
Contribution provides a more sustainable sense of purpose and well-being compared to the transient state of happiness.
There are numerous ways to contribute to society, including parenting, writing, creating value-driven organizations, imparting wisdom, self-education, kindness, and challenging the status quo.
The author endorses Tony Robbins' statement that "The secret of living is giving," further emphasizing the importance of contribution.
The article encourages readers to prioritize self-care to ensure they are in a position to contribute positively to the lives of others.

Contribution being the open gate to a sustainable state of joy, wellness and contentment.

This article contains personal opinion and beliefs. I support them with scientific studies but it is mostly my humble perspective on life, not the absolute truth. Enjoy the read.

Do you remember that deep feeling you got from helping out a good friend? That same feeling you get from genuinely helping an elderly person or a child in need? I find that feeling to be incomparable to any other. It is the feeling of utility. The fact that, by your being, your presence you made things a bit easier, better for someone else other than yourself. A team from the universities of Oxford and Bournemouth conducted a study to evaluate the link between random acts of kindness and the level of happiness and they concluded that YES: being kind to others causes a small but significant improvement in subjective well-being.

It goes without saying that in order to contribute to others, you have to contribute to yourself first. You cannot pour from an empty bottle. The idea being to build oneself first (while building oneself it is also possible to lift as one climbs) and once your cup is full, you can pour it out to others in order to contribute fully from a level of fullness and wholeness.

Being happy has been sold as the ultimate goal of life but I disagree with that. You see, because happiness is temporally, like all things on this earth. It comes and it goes. One day you are happy, the other day you are not. And it totally makes sense: because if you were happy all the time you would not value being happy, since being happy will become banal. So, yes happiness is volatile. So how can one rely life’s meaning onto something that is constantly changing?

I also hear people who say that: but you know “happiness is a state of mind”.. for sure, but that state of mind can easily be shaken by diverse external factors. So how is that sustainable then?

On the other side, I see contribution. The question not being: how can I be happy but instead: how can I find ways to contribute?

Because, I assure you that once you have found that way/s you can genuinely contribute, you gain a certain sense of purpose and wellness that is way more sustainable than the temporal state of happiness.

There are multiples ways one can contribute:

Contribute by being a loving parent, guiding and nurturing future generations. Transferring them values that will support them navigate the world by themselves later on and be at their turn real agents contributing to the community/the society. Give them tools to build healthy and lasting relationships. Parenting is so central to the future societal dynamic

Contribute by writing to inspire and empower oneself and others

Contribute by building organisations that create value for more than one

Contribute by passing on lifelong wisdom to younger generations

Contribute by educating oneself in order to increase one’s opportunities

Contribute simply by being a decent human being and kind to others

Contribute by being an agent of change and challenge the status quo

The list goes on, the sky being the limit. There are many ways one can find to contribute at the limit of one’s capabilities and willingness.

I will finish with the famous statement from Tony Robbins :

“The secret of living is giving”.

How about you, what do you think is the purpose of your life?

Until next time, stay hydrated. From time to time put yourself first unapologetically, and once “you’ll full of yourself”, pour it out to those to whom that may benefit. Remembering: “When you learn — teach, when you get — give”/ Maya Angelou.

One love 💜