What 2017 Taught Me About Happiness

Are you happy?

Before you answer, really think about it.

Are you happy in your life? Beyond the joy sparked by doing something fun or buying something new?

If the answer is “no” or “kind of,” you’re not alone.

2017 has been a year of growth for me (both good and bad) as well as my team at Creative Science. It left me thinking a lot about happiness — specifically how we get it and create more of it. I’ve read numerous books and I practice meditation but it wasn’t until recently that I began to discover another level of happiness.

Having just finished John Kay’s book “Obliquity,” I was struck that he lays out three levels of happiness — one level I had never heard put so eloquently.

He borrows these ideas from the psychologist Daniel Nettle who says there are three senses of happiness:

Level 1 Happiness— Moments

This is comprised of momentary feelings that make us happy. These are fleeting yet powerful experiences that have a significant impact on our overall state of mind. Think about those fun and exciting moments you chase. They’re like a drug — you get a hit and once the feeling subsides you need more.

It comes in waves and moments but is never permanent. You see it, you notice it and then the moment is gone. Once it leaves, you find yourself pursuing the next “hit” of the good stuff. It’s an addiction mentality, and many people live their lives wrapped up in the chase.

Unfortunately, this chase is a dangerous pattern to fall into. The issue is that it never ends. You become a slave to what some Buddhist philosophers call “The Hungry Ghost Mentality,” a mentality that’s always starved for more, striving for whatever lies just beyond what it has now.

Trust me: I’m no saint here. I’ve spent a great deal of my life falling into this trap, and I still do it frequently. It’s actually a double edge sword especially for entrepreneurs. These ‘highs’ are often what motivate us entrepreneurs but can also backfire into a never ending chase of the next high.

Level 2 Happiness — Contentment

This intermediate level is more of a state of mind than it is a physical response. It manifests as a sense of satisfaction and well-being. It is contentment with the way things are. The secret to making happiness a stationary object, lies in this. If you have ever done meditation you’re familiar with this concept.

The idea being is that when you accept things the way they are, you set yourself free from that cycle of changing your environment to make you happy. Rather you’re at peace with the way things are. Have goals, yes, and point yourself in the direction you want your life to go, but allow yourself to loosen your grip on the things you can’t change.

Level 3 Happiness — Eudaemonia

This third level of happiness is the highest. Here, you’re flourishing and totally fulfilling your potential. According to some psychologists, it surpasses the first two levels and is the ultimate happiness level.

Over this past year, my company has grown tremendously. Not only in terms of revenue but more so in terms of the team’s personal growth. I’ve witnessed eudaemonia first hand.

I am proud of the ways that we have challenged ourselves, forcing ourselves to grow outside of our comfort zones and striving to keep asking ‘what’s next’? With this growth I began to notice a change of morale in the team and at first — I wasn’t quite sure why but after reading about it — it clicked. My team was happier because they were growing.

My team was  happier because they were  growing.

We’ve found our core — empowering social innovators to dream bigger by humanizing digital experiences. We’ve expanded outside of the web space into technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, virtual and augmented reality. And to top it off we’re integrating theories from behavioral economics into all of the digital work we do.

I’ve noticed as we strive for new heights it has an enormous positive impact on team moral — we’re happier because we’ve hit that third level of happiness. We’re even more excited to come to work everyday and can’t wait for what’s next.

If this past year has taught me one thing: If you feel or have felt stuck, look for ways to grow.

If this past year has taught me one thing: If you feel or have felt stuck, look for ways to grow. Happiness is taking life by the lapels and forming it into what you want it to be. When you know that little secret, you can enjoy upward mobility, from here on out.

Cheers to a successful 2017 and may you find (even more) growth in 2018.

— Nate