We are still faced with our existential reason for living. That reason is to reach happiness in our life. That happiness can look like a vast wealth or living a simple and plain life. Regardless of how we choose to live, understanding the steps to reach a more happy place in life will be necessary. In this T-U-S blog, I will walk you through those steps and implement them in your life.

Steps Toward Happiness

1. What do you want out of life

2. Why have you not achieved it

3. Impending Challenges

4. How to get there

5. Don’t Give up

We all want to live a happy life, but not everyone knows how to get there. Some people know the steps needed to progress toward happiness, but they are unwilling to work. If someone knows what they must do but are reluctant to do the work, can we help them? The answer is no. You cannot bring anyone to a place in life unless they want to be there. That includes success and happiness. As much as we want to help the world and make a difference, we cannot offer them that opportunity if they don’t wish to change.

Suppose we know that we cannot give them the boost they need; however, we can lay breadcrumbs to help them find their way. This way of coaxing someone to go towards happiness might seem like a trick, but it is a way for them to realize what motivates them and whether they want to stay at the final destination or not. I cannot tell you how many people reach their goals only to neglect and ruin the progress they have made. They are more willing to let their hard work go to waste because they do not want to do what they need to maintain their new lifestyle.

If a person doesn’t want to maintain their lifestyle, that is a sure sign that they will need some type of wake-up call to find their truth. Though I wish the best for everyone, I can’t bring everyone along for the journey. Many people who tell me they want a good life and happiness will only be dead weight and slow the group down. Though we can make that a personal experience, if you are with someone you want to reach the end, you will subconsciously try to make sure they stay in the game at first.

Step 1

The first step toward having a happy life is to realize what you would like to get out of life. What are the reasons you push each day, and what is the outcome you want to be accomplished by the time you reach the end of life? Understanding what you want in life will be one of the best compasses when searching for your happiness point. This point can change while in transition, but the goal will still be for you to find true happiness. This is not something that will come and go; it will be a long-lasting feeling that you can have with you and recall when needed.

Step 2

The second step is to realize why you have not reached this level of happiness yet. Many people will get stuck on this step. This requires them to look at their lives and pay attention to the areas or parts where they have failed. Those failures can sting, and most people would instead not choose to remember them if they could. That means that they would instead push off the loss than accept it for what it is, a lesson. A person who can use their shortcomings as lessons for the future will be better positioned to reach their final goal of happiness.

Step 3

The third step is to identify the impending challenges you will have to prepare for. People who know what is on the test do better than those who didn’t study or were given a heads-up on what to expect. One of my mentors told me I had to work harder. I was under the impression that I was already doing all I could, but I was just at a plateau, both mentally and physically. I was under the mindset that I had done so much, and it was still not good enough. When I thought about how much more work I had to prepare for, I just wanted to go home and give up.

I felt stuck and in a daze because I was knocked on my butt. I went through the processes and still fell short at the finish line. Luckily for me, I had wonderful mentors who could see me at the finish line and help cheer me through. It is weird to admit you are defeated, but you are not done. For me, it was almost like a switch that clicked after a few days of moping and sadness that helped shake me awake from my negative beliefs. Even though I had to go through challenges, I realized that I would not be the person I am today if not for those challenges.

Step 4

The fourth step is to figure out how you will get this happiness in your life. Many people will have a plan or idea that they let sit for years. Though they were on the right track, they did not have a plan written out in a bite-size palatable portion. If you go big initially, you risk burnout or become paralyzed by the necessary amount of work. The best way to get out of that paralysis is to regain control of your body and mind.

Having a plan won’t guarantee you reach a level of happiness and success. What it means is that you will have a guide to follow. If you have step-by-step directions, it will take out the guessing work. The feelings you will start to feel our joy and excitement. Each step will become more motivated to keep moving forward. The result is finding happiness, but it is not as you see it at first.

Step 5

The final step is not to give up. Once you have a plan in place, you have to remain steadfast until the end. There will be days when you want to quit and hang the towel up, but I encourage you to stick it out or pivot accordingly. If you are on the brink of breaking, then make sure you have a safety net for when you fall. A mentor or coach will be a great safety net, but if you do not have one available when you need them the most, you can always ask a family member or friend to help you through this rough patch. People who know what they want and are willing to do whatever it is to achieve their goals are far and few.

In our world today, people would instead take it easy, even if they knew there was something better waiting for them. People do not go after more because they are unwilling to put in the hard work. Hard work will make or break the person in the end, but many people run from a challenge and look for “easy.” As long as we continue looking for ease, we will not see what growth a challenge can bring us. If we can change the way we think and see challenges as opportunities for growth, we will make great strides toward happiness.

Though you can write down the goal that will make you most happy, it doesn’t mean you will automatically be happy once you get there. Happiness is not a destination but rather a journey. However, we have to place happiness somewhere along our goal line. I encourage people to place happiness in the middle or during the goal. Reaching the endpoint and thinking that you will have happiness all of a sudden is a lie we have been led to believe. The end does not have to be the best part. You should enjoy all that is in between too. If you can start to see happiness in the steps it truly is, you will climb the staircase to reach new heights in your life.

Until then,

Michael Rearden

Founder of Reven LLC.