What do you expect from an article with a title like that? More meaningful things to do? More fulfilling goals to achieve?
Well, it is not more of what to do—but to get the most out of what you do.
A few years ago, a group of Harvard researchers did a study to find out what makes life worth living. Out of the 4 options below, which one would you say results in the greatest level of happiness?
According to this study, people reported the highest level of happiness when their minds were focused on what they were doing.
Based on the results, the researchers concluded that "a human mind is a wandering mind, and a wandering mind is an unhappy mind. The ability to think about what is not happening is a cognitive achievement that comes at an emotional cost."
The results of this research is life-changing if we were to pay attention to it.
So it is not about what you do that makes you feel fulfilled, satisfied or happy. It is not even about achieving your goals that will bring you to your next high. Your happiness and fulfilment does not depend on outward circumstances.
It depends on your inward state—be present in whatever you are doing right now!
Think about that:
You could be observing the scenery from the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, shopping along the streets of Milan, or sipping your cocktail at Seminyak Beach in Bali.
But if your mind is either dwelling on the comment your friend made on the bad choice of your clothes last week, or worrying about the presentation before your top management two weeks from now—you are missing out on the present moment.
You lose out BIG TIME—not only are you unable to enjoy the beauty of the present, neither are you able to deal with the event in the past or the future from where you are.
So how can you maximise your life and make the most of it?
Decide on what you want out of your life. By all means, set your goals and draw up a plan to achieve your goals.
Then, whatever you set your heart to do, be all there—100%. Therein lies the secret to living a happy, fulfilling and satisfying life.
If you would like to experience this Harvard research, head over to www.trackyourhappiness.org to download the app.
Ching Yet has been on staff with Cru for 23 years. He has worked with university students, working professionals and couples in achieving seismic shifts in their lives through making incremental shifts in their mindsets. He is currently the Team Lead of Healthcare Ministry in Cru, empowering healthcare students and professionals in living out their calling and potential. Always an avid learner, you can always find him learning something new at any moment and looking for opportunities to create value for others with what he has integrated.
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