Happiness —something we all strive for, but always seems to remain one step ahead of us. I used to think that happiness was tied to success, material things, or other people’s approval. I pursued success, and I thought once I had reached a certain milestone, happiness would be the inevitable result. But life had other plans for me.
The Illusion of Happiness
Osho has said,
“Happiness has nothing to do with success. Happiness has nothing to do with ambition, happiness has nothing to do with money, power, prestige. It is a totally different dimension.”
I was not aware of this for a long time. Like all other people, I measured my happiness by external standards—success at work, financial security, and social status. But after achieving something, the happiness would not last. The next desire would catch up with me soon, and I would be left in a perpetual pursuit.
Naval Ravikant said it best:
“Desire is a contract you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what you want.”
It struck me so strongly. I understood that constantly desiring something was the primary cause of me always feeling empty. If everything was dependent on something occurring in the future, then I could never actually be happy in the present moment.
The Shift Within
As the years went by, I couldn’t help but wonder what happiness was to me. Was it arriving at some sort of ultimate destination, or simply living life as life is lived? I discovered that the most happy times were the most mundane—having a cup of tea in the morning, a good chat with someone you care about, a sunset without having to rush on to the next. These were not grand quests; these were simple moments of being.
Osho was firm on staying in the here and now,
“The past is no more and the future is not yet: both are unnecessarily moving in directions which don’t exist. One used to exist, but no longer exists. One has not even started to exist. The only right person is one who lives moment to moment.”
One of the largest shifts in my happiness was when I relinquished expecting from others. I realized that expecting results creates disappointment, and as soon as I released them, I no longer had to endure that agony. This liberation granted me the capacity to appreciate the small things in life, as small as sipping a cup of tea. Today, when I am sipping a cup of chai, I do not think about anything else—I simply think of drinking tea, savouring it, enjoying every sip of it and relishing the simple joy of drinking it. This awareness has granted me a type of happiness I had never experienced before.
I began to practice mindfulness, not out of obligation, but because it became second nature. I observed my thoughts, stopped making useless comparisons, and practiced gratitude. The less I relied on outside sources, the more content I became.
Happiness is all one needs to live a happy life. The divine power made us in a way that we have everything we need to live a happy life. We, however, complicate things because of greed. Instead of enjoying what we have, we always desire things that we don’t have, hence making us sad. If we understand that happiness lies within us and not in acquiring more, then life is made simple and satisfying.
Amitabh Bachchan often shares his father’s wisdom, emphasizing that –
“When things don’t go as planned, it’s because a divine force is guiding events, and that force always has our best interests at heart, urging us to trust and respect that it’s for the better”.
The True Order of Priorities
Naval Ravikant stated, too,
“The three big ones in life are wealth, health, and happiness. We chase them in that order, but their value is in reverse.”
I resonated to this. We spend the early part of our lives chasing after wealth, with the hope that it will yield future happiness. But what use is wealth if we are unhealthy? And what use is health if we’re not truly happy?
Happiness should come first, followed by good health, and wealth only after. When we are happy, we make better decisions. When we are healthy, we have the energy to enjoy life. And when wealth comes from these two, it is a means of having freedom rather than just a means to an end.
Happiness in Indian Culture and Today’s Times
Indian culture has always held the view that happiness lies within us, not outside where we seek it. All ancient texts like the Bhagavad Gita teach us about letting go of the results and enjoying the process. The Hindu philosophy of Ananda (bliss) is a deep feeling of joy that comes from understanding ourselves, not from doing things.
Our forefathers practiced Santosha, which is contentment. It is one of the most important concepts of yoga and an important step towards long-lasting happiness. Instead of seeking success outside of us, Indian philosophy teaches us to develop inner peace, gratitude, and balance in life.
In the modern world, individuals tend to associate happiness with money, popularity, and comparing themselves to others. The digital world has brought us closer but also made us more anxious, as we compare our lives to others’ perfect lives to measure our own happiness. Although it is good to want to succeed and develop, we must not forget that happiness is not merely a byproduct of success—it is the secret to a fulfilling life.
By combining the timelessness of Indian wisdom and the speed of modern living, we can redefine happiness—not as a goal to be sought but as a cultivation to be fostered in ourselves.
Jiddu Krishnamurti on Happiness
Jiddu Krishnamurti was one of the India’s most brilliant minds had extremely profound ideas regarding happiness. He used to say,
“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”
This is to say that happiness is not achieved through adjustment to what society expects but by understanding yourself well.
He also indicated that
“Happiness is strange; it comes when you are not seeking it. When you are not making an effort to be happy, then unexpectedly, mysteriously, happiness is there, born of purity, of a loveliness of being.”
This is the kind of philosophy that comes with the thought that happiness is not an achievement but a natural result of inner peace and awareness of self.
Krishnamurti stated that in order to be happy, humans have to be free from attachment, fear, and habits. He requested all of us to observe our thinking, question society, and be present in the moment. He thought that happiness occurs when we give up seeking it outside ourselves and, rather, gain deep insight into what we can do.
Happiness as a Way of Life
Happiness, I have discovered, is not to be pursued—it is to be grown. It’s not a place you arrive but a manner in which you travel
Naval Ravikant put it nicely:
“Happiness is a skill. It’s not something you inherit. It’s not something you even choose. It’s something you develop.”
That’s precisely what I’ve been doing—building happiness as a muscle, with presence, gratitude, and awareness. Now, I don’t look to the future for happiness. I find it today. In the sun on my face, in the laughter of a friend, in the peaceful moments of solitude. Happiness is not something out there—it’s inside me. And that has made all the difference.
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