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Key to Happiness

In this fast-paced world we live in, it can seem like the childlike joy we knew as kids can be harder and harder to find. Fortunately, in this age of science and technology, our understanding of what are the true keys to happiness have increased. Studies show that the keys to happiness lie in things like having a positive attitude, the pursuit of meaningful goals, and specific methods you can use to tap into your full potential. That’s good news because you can’t always control what happens in your life, but you can learn to control what happens between your own ears.

One key to happiness I like to give people is for them to simply define what a happy, meaningful life looks like to them. The more clearly you define a target, the more likely you’ll be able to hit it. I first learned this valuable lesson in college. My college roommate was the best basketball player on the freshman team, yet he was always jealous of my high academic grades. To put me in my place, he challenged me to a game of one-on–one basketball. I said I accepted his challenge on one condition: that I could bring with me a one-ounce gadget and place it wherever I wanted on the basketball court.

Well, he agreed to my condition. So we went to the court and I took out my one-ounce gadget—a blindfold. Then I proceeded to put it in a very strategic location—namely over his eyes! Then I said, “Let the games begin!”

Here’s a simple exercise to help you get a sense of what the keys to happiness look like to you. Imagine you have six months left to live—and that you’d be healthy until the day you died. What exactly would you do with your time? Would you travel? Would you spend time with people you care deeply about? What would you do differently than you’re doing now? By writing down precisely what you’d do, you’re defining what’s most important to you. These are likely your keys to happiness, since if you did what’s most important to you, you’d likely be quite happy.

Hopefully you have more than six months left to live. However, if you want to know what the key to happiness is, it’s to set up your life so you regularly do what’s most important to you. So if you like walks in nature, aim to do that as often as possible. If you find that going to movies with friends is a key to happiness for you, try to do it as often as you can. By getting clear on what are the keys to happiness for you, you’re much more likely to hit your target.

In my course, “Deeper Happiness: One Month to a Lifetime of Greater Fulfillment,” I offer over 30 great keys to happiness that can be done in under two minutes a day. These methods really work amazingly well to transform your life. In order to get you to see how powerful they can be, I will even give you—at no cost—3 of the methods as an audio download. In each session, you’ll hear an inspiring story and a specific method to help you turn that day into a fulfilling adventure. Download your 3 free sessions now.