There is more to life than happiness…

Have you ever achieved a big goal and at the end wondered if that’s all there is? You have got to the point of achievement but haven’t felt fulfilled at the end of it? Tony Robbins says that ‘success without fulfilment is the ultimate failure’. So how do we go about avoiding the ultimate failure, and lead a fulfilled life?

There is more to life than being happy

Fulfilment is a sense of worth and a satisfaction of the life you have created for yourself. What creates this feeling is different for everybody, yet most seem to approach it in the same way; they have the end goal of being happy. Happiness is one aspect of it but as Emily Esfahani Smith discusses in her TED Talk, there is more to life than being happy. She defines four categories that are important to lead a meaningful life:

• Belonging
• Purpose
• Transcendence
• Story telling.

Belonging comes from being in groups where you are valued for being yourself, and you value the others. In ‘Daring Greatly’ Brené Brown states that connection with others is why we are here. To be our true selves, a sense of belonging is important. It’s the feeling of being a part of something, and without it we can feel lost, sad, and even unhappy. You have the choice to build a community which can ultimately cultivate that sense of belonging.