13 Philosophers: The Key To Unlocking True Happiness
What is happiness? How can you find happiness? Here are thirteen philosophers on discovering the key to unlock happiness.
Happiness. It is something that everyone wants. Yet, it is often never defined. Here is a look at thirteen philosophers on the key to unlocking true happiness.
What Exactly Is Happiness?
Happiness is thought of as a pleasant state. The problem comes with defining what it is and where happiness comes from.
More specifically, happiness is generally thought of as:
A state of mind
Life is going well for a person
Happiness being related to one’s state of mind focuses on the psychology of happiness.
Life going well for an individual is assigning prudential value to it. Prudential value is most commonly known as well-being.
Philosophers On Happiness
Love
"Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness." — Bertrand Russell
Love, often thought of as romantic love, is often associated with happiness. Going deeper, there is the concept of finding one’s true love.
You must find and marry the love of your life. Finding true love is what brings happiness.
It comes externally from a lover or spouse. It does not come from oneself.
Agency
"Happiness is the feeling that power increases — that resistance is being overcome." — Friedrich Nietzsche
Embracing one’s agency is what brings about happiness for Nietzche. Each person must take action. It is only through action and taking control of one’s life that you can determine your future.
Locus Lives Within
"The greatest blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not." — Seneca
Seneca thought one was responsible for the outcome of events in a person’s life. The individual, not destiny, is responsible for changing one’s circumstances. A person can change their life by taking action and accepting self-responsibility.
Enjoy Every Moment
"Life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced." — Soren Kierkegaard
For Kierkegaard, happiness came from enjoying every second of life. Learn to enjoy life with its ups and downs. Each circumstance is just an experience. A person can learn from life's various experiences, good and bad.
Use Things For A Purpose
"I have learned to seek my happiness by limiting my desires, rather than in attempting to satisfy them." — John Stuart Mill
Things can either be hoarded or used for a purpose. John Stuart Mill believed that happiness comes from using things practically and according to their purpose. If something serves no purpose in one’s life, get rid of it.
John Stuart Mills could be called the father of modern minimalism. If something is of no use to you, get rid of it! Only keep things that serve a practical purpose or provide value to one’s life.
Internal Success
"The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less." — Socrates
Socrates believed that internal success was more important than external success. This meant being able to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. Reduce one’s needs.
Awards. Metals. Signs of success that society assigns are arbitrary. One’s internal life should know oneself and enjoy a quiet life.
Personal Growth
"The man who makes everything that leads to happiness depends upon himself, and not upon other men, has adopted the very best plan for living happily." — Plato
Happiness, for Plato, is found in achieving personal goals. Happiness is not found in what you may receive for accomplishing a goal. For Plato, personal growth is happiness.
Nurture Happiness
"Happiness depends upon ourselves." — Aristotle
Aristotle followed in Plato’s footsteps when it came to understanding happiness. Aristotle believed that every person is responsible for their happiness. Everyone is responsible for creating it for themselves.
Each person discovers happiness by embracing the mean. Excess is too much. Being deficient is too little. The mean is just right.
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
"The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large." — Confucius
Confucius believed that happiness was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Happiness is found by discovering the connections between one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Today, this is called positive thinking.
The more that a person can repeat those connections in one’s life. The happier a person will be.
Be Present
"If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present." — Lao Tzu
Lao Tzu advocated that true happiness was found by simply being present. By being present, you are giving one’s full attention.
A person can be present by enjoying great sex, creative work, and good conversation.
Found Within Oneself
"The myriad things are complete in us. There is no greater joy than to reflect on ourselves and become sincere." — Mencius
Mencius believed contentment came from self-discipline and education. However, each person can destroy their potential. People can find happiness by looking within themselves rather than focusing on the world’s vanities.
Find Fulfillment In Living
"There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path." — Gautama Buddha
Happiness is found simply by living. There is no need to be rich, famous, or to enjoy hedonistic pleasure.
Happiness is a path that each person finds by living each day. To be alive is enough to be happy.
Happiness does not come from having fancy things or a big house. Happiness is found by making the most of living each day.
Live In In Moment
"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder." — Henry David Thoreau
Thoreau believed that it was through randomness and living in the moment that a person found happiness. It is not found through developing habits or achievements. It is found by being able to enjoy life. By being able to enjoy the small moments of life, an individual could be able to experience the most incredible sense of happiness.
Applying Philosophy To Everyday Life
Philosophy is interesting. It can make one think deeply about the branch of philosophy that a philosopher writes about. The biggest problem with philosophy is finding practical ways to apply it to one’s life. In the case of these quotes by thirteen philosophers, they can be broken down into x ways to discover happiness.
Invest In Oneself
Each person is responsible for finding one’s happiness. This can be found by locating it within your and aching one’s goals. Focusing on oneself is a classical view of how to find happiness.
Happiness is found through self-development and reaching one’s full potential.
Enjoy Every Moment
Happiness is found in life’s simple pleasures. It can be found simply from living to being able to live a satisfied life.
Mindfulness
Being present is a skill often lost in a world focused on business. Mindfulness is being aware of the present moment. It is understanding one’s cognitive state and being aware of oneself.
Positive Thinking
How one thinks and a person’s mindset directly affects a person's life. Negative thinking and a destructive mindset can lead to bad outcomes. In contrast, having a growth mindset and practicing positive thinking can lead to the outcome that a person wants to happen to become successful.
Minimalist Life
Learn to enjoy a minimalist life. There is no reason to have fame, fortune, or multiple estates. Happiness is found by being able to enjoy being alive and the pleasures that come from living.
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Summary
Philosophy is often thought of as dull. It is. I have read a lot of philosophy. The writing is often long and dry. But classical and modern philosophers' ideas can be practically applied to your life. In this case, these thirteen philosophers present vastly different views about how to be happy.
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How can you live a more happy life? What does happiness mean to you?
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