You appear to believe that happiness is the paramount objective of work. I disagree. Self mastery, mastery of complexity, insight into economics, recognition, esteem, collaboration and the ability to accomplish tasks that one could not accomplish alone and the ability to achieve a sense of self determination. These objectives are not easily attained and require significant focus, effort and stick-to-itness in the face of many set backs. Most audacious goals are enormously challenging and they often test our faith in ourselves. “Happiness” is not necessarily the goal, although a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, pride and esteem often are. Happiness is surely an objective but happiness is akin to eating candy. Children can feel “happy” from a bowl of candy. But after too much of it and no protein, they will soon feel the effects and grow listless. Sometimes those nutrients the child needs for growth come in awful tasting vegetables. While they might not taste like candy – they are profoundly important to the child’s mental health. Does it make the child “happy” to eat them? No. Is it necessary for success? Certainly. The same can be said about exercise, waking up early, quiting smoking, enduring psycho-analysis, learning to apologize, etc. All these things require some sacrifice, challenge, pain, etc. None of them makes us “happy” immediately, but the outcomes of the process makes us healthier, wiser, successful, secure and ultimately more open to other’s similar struggles.

That should be the objective. Happiness as defined by a state of joyous contentment or religious rapture from the knowledge that all is one and that we are the source of the energy of the universe and that the Lord God is the King and that you share in His Glory — that could be Happiness to some. And that has NOTHING to do with money, work, candy, status, rank, gender, race, etc. It is simply the state of BEING.

Working is the necessary analogy to what we are all doing on the earth. Working toward some sense of betterment of ourselves thru some form of practice or mastery. In the cases where people feel trapped, usually it has to do with some lack of insight into alternatives, usually b/c they lack the imagination to envision an alternative and/or the commitment, faith and drive to focus and execute on their dream.

Happiness, in my opinion, is not the GOAL but rather the OUTCOME of the life well examined, well mastered and well disciplined. When we focus on our values, develop mastery over our desires, commit ourselves to a disciplined routine of self examination, education, collaboration and openness to input from our peers we can achieve our objectives. They can be ANYTHING grand or subtle. But nothing great is accomplished w/out some form of sacrifice, challenge, commitment, drive and endurance. Anything worth doing, worth struggling for, worth pursuing in life WILL require these elements. And like climbing Mt Everest, the Happiness comes as the result of ACHIEVING the REAL altitude vs. eating a bowl of candy to give yourself an artificial “high.”

Alexis: I actually talked to Karen once – she seems like a wonderful person. Tell her Hi from me :o) And thanks!

Howie: I agree completely!

Ken: The Law of Attraction applies here – but using it to get rich just seems incredibly shallow to me. Wealth has very little to do with happiness – and not only is it easier to become happy than it is to become rich – it’s also a LOT more fun,