For most people, happiness ultimately means…
Happiness can be defined in so many different ways and what you define as happiness need not necessarily be how I define it.
After talking about this elusive ‘happiness’ to many, I’ve reached a conclusion: in the big picture, what we want is the ability to control our time. Time is our most precious currency. Most of us spend time doing things that may not be particularly meaningful, chasing mostly material things that we believe will bring us happiness.
Can we really enjoy that house or cool new car or even that vacation or that relationship or all the material we accumulate when we are not in control of our time? Can we enjoy them when we are stressed or have other health issues because we are not in control of our time? The answer is a resounding ‘no’.
What happens when we control our time? For starters, we can focus on our health. This takes time. For instance, we need to set aside time for working out in a disciplined manner and eating right without stressing about stuff that we need to do when we are not in control of our time, say, someone else’s deadlines or things we need to to to help them reach their goal. This usually happens when we work for a salary which means sacrificing most of our invaluable time to achieve someone else’s vision or goals.
How do you take control of your time? You need financial security to walk away from the things that you do not enjoy doing and the sooner you start saving in a disciplined manner, the better. That is the first step towards taking control of your time.
One of the best ways to becoming much happier is to become an entrepreneur and go after your dreams. That means risk. It also means excitement and the thrill of working for what you believe in. not for what someone else believes in. You may win or you may fail but fortune usually =favors the bold. Many may not have the risk appetite to take that leap of faith, though.
The other way is to learn how to invest your saved money. Money does not grow by itself, so you need to learn to invest it and make it grow. And wait. In a decade or so, your disciplined approach will pay dividends. And you will be free to walk away, should you choose to (most will.) Afraid of investing? Just think of the freedom you will have when you walk away and you will immediately start learning more about how to make your money work for you instead of working for it until you are too old to enjoy life. Isn’t a decade a long time? Not at all. It might seem that way, but it passes in a blink.
For me too, happiness largely means being in control of my time, doing things I enjoy and on my own schedule. I work every day to ensure that my time, above all, is within my control. Life is too short and too wonderful to not be in control of your time. Start moving towards a happier life without wasting more of it.
