How To Find True Happiness (Hint: Most People Pursue Fake Happiness)

Are you pursuing true happiness – or fake happiness? Learn the important difference between these two so you can enjoy your best life.

Want to know one of my main happiness philosophies I embrace – which helps me to stay happy on a daily basis?

First let me give credit where credit is due. I discovered this happiness philosophy via Aristotle – who I consider one of our world’s first self help authors.

(I love Aristotle’s philosophies so much, that I named my son Ari as a wink to him!)

Back in his day, Aristotle wrote a lot about something called “Eudaimonia” – which roughly translates into “true happiness”  –  versus the “fake happiness” far too many of us get lured into pursuing.

Here’s the difference between “true happiness vs fake happiness”:

1. “Fake happiness” is all about pursuing “pleasure.”
2. “True happiness” is all about pursuing “the education of the soul” by embracing strong character values,  prioritizing insight, and wanting to grow into one’s highest potential.

Basically, Aristotle believed that there’s a big reason why so many people are unhappy.

Too many people foolishly confuse “pleasure” for “true happiness”— when the two are incredibly different.

Need a little more detail on the differences between the two?

Here’s the difference between true happiness vs fake happiness – more slowly explained:

1. “Pleasure” is all about “immediate gratification” of the body and/or ego – and often includes lack of moderation, lack of insightful judgment and lack of being aware of longterm consequences. Pleasure is about being impulse-driven in your choice-making. Unlike “true happiness,” pleasure merely brings a temporary blip of joy -which is unsatisfying in the long run.
   
2.  “True Happiness” in contrast often has a time delay till that “feel good high” kicks in – but it creates “long-haul joy” – because it’s all about growing into your highest potential. It’ s about being growth-driven in your choice-making. True happiness comes when you prioritize wanting to bloom into your best favorite you.  It arrives when you recognize “insight and growth” are your purpose for being here on this planet. Not the temporary superficial high of pleasure. 

True happiness comes when….

• You surround yourself with people and experiences which increase your soul’s self-development.
• This joy then lasts as long as you last—because this “self-development of your soul” becomes an integral part of who you are as a unique, thriving individual.

True happiness = a growth-driven life.

Fake happiness = an impulse-driven life.

Aristotle believed that many people in his day were on a constant roller coaster rise/fall of happy/sad/happy/sad/happy/sad – because that blip of pleasure is fleeting!

In modern times we also suffer from that unpleasant roller-coaster ride – when we pursue fleeting pleasure in the form of spending, eating, lust, etc.. We can wind up with massive credit card debt, problems with eating disorders, and high divorce rates.

Here is another way to describe the difference between true happiness and fake happiness.

True happiness =  a “soul-focused life”

Fake happiness = “ego-focused life” or a “body focused life”

When you’re ego-focused, you overly-prioritize money, status, fame, glory, superficial beauty. All of this brings you superficial fake happiness – not true happiness.

When you’re “body-focused,” you overly-prioritize lust over soul-connected love. Or yummy junk food over healthy food. Or you’re overly caught up in surface beauty/glitzy clothes rather than valuing what makes us all unique souls. All of this brings you temporary fake happiness – not true happiness.

The “true happiness” lesson to be learned:

• You must recognize that the soul is a human’s g-spot for happiness.
• You gotta do things which inspire, grow, and heal your soul.
• Your soul is your ultimate soul mate. So, it’s important you listen to it when it whispers its desires – and keep your soul as thriving and satisfied as possible.

Aristotle also believed there were 3 kinds of relationships – and only 1 brings true happiness!

I share more about these kinds of relationships in this article here!

Please join me & other readers below in the comments – where I’d love to hear your thoughts on what you believe “true happiness” is all about.

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