Make Happiness Primary Goal of Your Life
Most People Don’t Prioritize, and Pursue, Happiness
All people want to be happy. However, most of them don’t really prioritize happiness in their life. They don’t set happiness as a goal in their life. Rather they keep chasing materialistic goals, like money, fame, power and status – thinking that achievement of these goals will make them happy. When they achieve a goal, they feel happy. But that happiness is often short-lived. Once the hangover of that achievement is over and they don’t feel happy anymore, then they start chasing another goal (achievement). This keeps happening with majority of people. Most people keep looking for happiness in their future rather than trying to be happy in the present moment. This is one of the primary reasons that majority of people in India don’t feel happy, and India ranks very low on Happiness index.
As per World Happiness Report 2026, India ranks 116 out of 147 countries. This indicates that a large majority of people in India are not happy. Moreover, India is facing a silent but escalating mental health crisis, with an estimated US $ 1.03 trillion economic loss projected between 2012 and 2030. Approximately 1 in 7 Indians lives with a mental health disorder, with anxiety and depression being the most prevalent. Suicides remain a leading cause of death among youth between age 15-29 years.
Above presented data and arguments indicate that majority of people in India don’t give high priority to happiness in their life. If you deeply look at this situation, you will realize that it is not entirely their fault. This (to postpone their happiness) is what they have been told (and taught) from their childhood. You can recall most parents telling their children, just pass 10th class with very good marks and then your life will be good. After passing tenth class with good marks/grades they are told – just pass 12th class with very good marks and then your life will be settled. After that comes Under Graduation. Similar things are told for that as well.
After passing all exams (and processes) when people finally get the job, they feel very happy. However, that happiness is often short-lived. Soon they realize that their job is not as easy, and rosy, as they have initially thought. As they get settled in their job, soon they start looking for promotions and salary hike. After getting one, they start looking for the next promotion, thinking that next promotion (and more money) will make them happy. This process keeps going on. Instead of finding happiness within themselves and in the present moment, people keep looking for it in materialistic achievements and in the future. They keep thinking that achievement of some goals in future will make them happy. They keep postponing their happiness. For them medium to happiness (i.e., job, money, big car, big house, power, fame etc.) becomes more dominant than the ultimate goal (i.e., happiness) itself. They forget about being happy.
Another reason why majority of people are not happy is that it requires a lot of effort to be happy. It is not so easy to remain happy. To stay happy in life is a lot more difficult than feeling sad. To feel sad, you need not to do much. Just look around you. Look at other persons, your life’s circumstances, social, economic and political situation, and all that is happening around you. At any point of time, you will see many things happening around you that can easily make you feel sad. Hence, it becomes a lot difficult to be happy.
You should not live a life of unhappiness. You don’t deserve that. You should give high priority to happiness in your life. You are not going to become happy automatically. You should learn how to remain happy.
How to be Happy?
As discussed earlier, people keep looking for happiness in the achievement of materialistic goals. They think that achievement of their life’s goals will make them happy. Hence, they keep chasing one goal after another. They don’t realize that real happiness will come from going deeper within themselves, not from the outside world or from achieving materialistic goals. By connecting with the self. By being fully present in the moment.
Below I suggest some tips that if you adopt in your day-to-day behavior can help you in becoming happier:
Prioritize Happiness: Most people don’t give high priority to happiness in their life. To become happy, first you have to set happiness as primary goal for yourself. Hence, your first task should be to keep happiness as primary goal of your life.
Don’t Try to Overcontrol rather Gain Inner Control: Almost all people want others to behave, and things to happen, the way they think is right. Hence, they keep trying to control others’ behavior and their environment. Please remember that you will not feel happy when you try to overcontrol things. Rather you will feel happy when you learn to accept what all is happening around you and in your life. It doesn’t mean not to act. You keep working hard towards your goal but also remember that not all things (especially the results) are under your control. Not everything will happen the way you want them to happen. So, rather than trying to control the external world, you better try to gain control over your inner world.
Find the Purpose of Your Life: Why do you exist in this world? Why you do whatever work you do? Getting the answers of these simple, yet difficult, questions can make your life a lot more fulfilling and satisfying. Try to understand how your work is impacting others’ life. How you are helping others to live a better life? If you are able to see the meaningfulness of your work and find the larger purpose of your life, you will be a lot happier.
Don’t Compare Yourself with Others: One major reason for people to feel unhappy, despite achieving a lot in their life, is that they keep comparing themselves with others and their achievements. Remember, each person is unique. His or her achievements are unique to him or her. You are unique. By comparing yourself and your achievements with others, you are not doing justice to yourself. You will be a lot happier if you stop comparing yourself with others.
Don’t Think Too Much: Most of the time people keep thinking about one or other thing. They keep thinking either about the past or keep planning for, or getting worried about, the future. Their mind keeps working most of the time. Too much thinking is antithesis to happiness. So, to be happy you better don’t think too much.
Take Care of Your Body and Soul: You are likely to feel happier when you take care of your body and soul. Do physical exercise regularly. Do some meditation or yoga. Worship your God. Follow your religious practices. It is essential to take care of your body and soul. It can enhance your happiness.
Develop a Sense of Gratitude: You should feel grateful for what all you have. If you pause for some time and deeply analyze, and reflect on, your life, you will realize how fortunate you are to have this life. Appreciate what all you have got in life. Be grateful to God for this wonderful life and everything that you have. By having a sense of gratitude, you will feel a lot happier.
Value Your Relationships: You can become happier by valuing, and nurturing, your relationships. A lot of people give too much time to their work that they hardly get time for their closed ones. Work is important, but your personal relationships are equally (or even more) important. By devoting a lot of time to your work, you can progress in your career and become highly successful but you may not feel really happy since you may not have nurtured deep personal relationships. So, give time to nurture and strengthen your relationships.
Practice Mindfulness: If you just try to live in the present moment, you will get a feel of real happiness. You can experience real happiness when you focus your attention and energy in the moment. When you achieve the state of mindfulness. Though it is not so easy to achieve that, but with practice you can learn to be mindful. Mindfulness can contribute to making you happy.
