If happiness, unearned, were effortlessly laid,

Its value, perhaps, would begin to fade,

For it’s the struggle, our journey’s weight,

That renders happiness truly great.

Stick around ‘n’ you’ll come to see,

That fulfillment dances with adversity,

Not confined to joy’s exclusive domain,

But won despite sorrow’s poignant strain.

–A hopeful, well-intentioned attempt at poetry

If we were to reach a state of unspoilable bliss, where all our problems are magically resolved and we have nothing left to do but bask in pleasure… we’d still find a way to be unhappy.

Let’s face it, we’re incorrigible beasts of burden. But it’s not our fault. The elusiveness of happiness is Nature’s intelligent way of keeping us bound in a state of continuous growth and progress. All the effort we invest in our work, relationships, and health are driven by the promise of attaining happiness. What we might not realize is that our toil, sweat, and tears in pursuit of our goals actually lead to fulfillment, which is quite different from our conventional idea of happiness. It is our eternal, twisted game of pain and pleasure, suffering and relief, tension and release. When we bust our balls, strive, and succeed, what we truly finally experience is fulfillment—a sense of happiness that is based on feeling “filled full, as in full-filled.” Without these contrasts, winning the “happiness” lottery ticket and never again experiencing disappointment, hardship or pain might not be as glorious as we imagine it to be.

What makes fulfillment eminently superior to our stereotypical idea of happiness is that it graces us with the possibility of throwing gratifying theatrics, tantrums and tirades😁😉. We can still feel fulfilled and simultaneously feel flustered, sullen, pressured or burdened. Fulfillment is our motivator. It is our badge of honor. Our grand prize. Fulfillment keeps us back on the road in our pursuit of (elusive) happiness. 

No matter what our current circumstances may be, knowing that fulfillment is within our reach is all we need today.

“Happiness”… is such a remarkable reality that there is nobody who does not long for it, and yet there is not a single objective criterion which would prove beyond all doubt that this condition necessarily exists.🙀👻

-Carl Jung