The Secret to Happiness

Our attention is constantly being pulled in different directions. We have demanding jobs, deadlines to make, families to feed, chores to do, relationships to juggle, appointments to make, bills to pay, goals to achieve... I'm stressed out just thinking about it.

With so much on our plates, how do we find lasting happiness?

Spoiler alert: It's balance.

You might read that and say, "That's no revelation, dude. That's just a vague banal statement!"

Well... you're right. Without any context or substance, it sounds trite.

But perhaps listening to a short story from "The Alchemist" can make a seemingly boring platitude more impactful. Read on and see for yourself.

Balance

A certain shopkeeper sent his son to learn about the secret of happiness from the wisest man in the world. The lad wandered through the desert for forty days, and finally came upon a beautiful castle, high atop a mountain. It was there that the wise man lived.

Rather than finding a saintly man, though, our hero, on entering the main room of the castle, saw a hive of activity: tradesmen came and went, people were conversing in the corners, a small orchestra was playing soft music, and there was a table covered with platters of the most delicious food in that part of the world. The wise man conversed with everyone, and the boy had to wait for two hours before it was his turn to be given the man’s attention.

The wise man listened attentively to the boy’s explanation of why he had come, but told him that he didn’t have time just then to explain the secret of happiness. He suggested that the boy look around the palace and return in two hours.

"Meanwhile, I want to ask you to do something," said the wise man, handing the boy a teaspoon that held two drops of oil. "As you wander around, carry this spoon with you without allowing the oil to spill."

The oil...

The boy began climbing and descending the many stairways of the palace, keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon. After two hours, he returned to the room where the wise man was.

“Well," asked the wise man, "did you see the Persian tapestries that are hanging in my dining hall? Did you see the garden that it took the master gardener ten years to create? Did you notice the beautiful parchments in my library?"

The boy was embarrassed, and confessed that he had observed nothing. His only concern had been not to spill the oil that the wise man had entrusted to him.

“Then go back and observe the marvels of my world," said the wise man. "You cannot trust a man if you don’t know his house."

The palace...

Relieved, the boy picked up the spoon and returned to his exploration of the palace, this time observing all of the works of art on the ceilings and the walls. He saw the gardens, the mountains all around him, the beauty of the flowers, and the taste with which everything had been selected. Upon returning to the wise man, he related in detail everything he had seen.

“But where are the drops of oil I entrusted to you?" asked the wise man.

Looking down at the spoon he held, the boy saw that the oil was gone.

The secret to happiness...

“Well, there is only one piece of advice I can give you," said the wisest of wise men.?"The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.”

Thoughts

Finding balance is the secret to happiness.

If you focus too long on the marvels of the world (i.e. a piece of cake, watching a great series on Netflix, grabbing a drink with a buddy), you can lose sight of your goals (i.e. the oil in your spoon).

But if you're super obsessed about the goal... "I have to achieve this goal before I can enjoy myself. I cannot rest until it's achieved. GO, GO, GO," then get ready to miss the many joys life offers and experience burnout...

Question for you

Ask yourself, "How can I experience the real treasures life offers, while also accomplishing my goals?"

Balance leads to a state of sustained joy and tranquility. It creates a sense of control. If you keep the scales even, then you, my friend, are winning.

When you can, get your copy here.

Thanks for reading!

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