Do you ever feel frustrated by the endless pursuit of happiness? If so, you’re not alone—and there may be scientific reasons behind your feelings.
A recent study in Psychological Science calls into question whether making happiness a priority truly enhances well-being. Researcher Kuan-Ju Huang surveyed over 8,000 Dutch adults, aiming to uncover whether consistently valuing happiness actually improves well-being over time. The findings might challenge some of the assumptions you have about the relationship between happiness and well-being.
First of all, I want to be clear that happiness is undoubtedly a critical component of well-being. However, previous research has suggested that treating happiness as an explicit goal can sometimes have unintended negative effects. One reason for this is that failing to meet your happiness desires often results in feelings of disappointment. Additionally, many people lack a clear understanding of what steps to take to genuinely boost happiness, making the pursuit of happiness confusing and ineffective.
Unlike prior studies that only measured participants’ happiness at a single point in time, this new study used a longitudinal design, tracking changes from 2019 to 2023. Each year, participants were asked to rate the importance of happiness to them and to report on their life satisfaction and emotional experiences, both positive and negative.
The results? Participants who consistently valued happiness generally reported higher levels of overall well-being. However, a more nuanced picture emerged when they examined how changes in the value placed on happiness affected life satisfaction over time. Kuan-Ju Huang found that simply increasing one’s focus on happiness from one year to the next did not lead to greater life satisfaction a year later. In fact, it led to mixed emotional outcomes, with increases in both positive and negative emotions.
Huang suggests that this pattern might reflect the pressure that comes with making happiness a primary goal. The more you focus on the need to be happy, the more pressure you feel to achieve it, potentially leading to feelings of failure or “happiness concern” (the tendency to worry excessively about happiness). This concern over happiness paradoxically reduces well-being!
Key Takeaways
Perhaps the most significant insight from this study is that pursuing happiness as a primary objective might be misguided. Happiness should be seen as an outcome rather than a goal. It emerges naturally when you engage in activities that are meaningful to you.
Instead of chasing happiness as an abstract goal, it may be more effective to pursue specific activities that are known to enhance well-being, such as spending quality time with loved ones or engaging in mindfulness practices. These approaches promote presence and contentment, fostering a more genuine sense of fulfillment.
For instance, as a songwriter, I find joy in creating music. Rather than chasing happiness itself, I can focus on writing more songs and playing more guitar. By doing what I love, happiness becomes an inevitable byproduct rather than an elusive target.
See the difference? When you direct your efforts toward activities that fulfill you, happiness is a natural outcome. Pursuing tangible goals that enhance well-being not only makes happiness more attainable but also serves as a practical strategy for a better life.
And if the activities you currently pursue don’t contribute to your happiness? It might be time to reassess their value in your overall well-being.
