Dive into the eye-opening episode of "Beyond the Happiness Treadmill: Finding True Fulfillment" where host Isak challenges the traditional notions of happiness. This podcast explores the paradox of how chasing happiness can lead to perpetual dissatisfaction, and offers a new perspective on finding true, lasting fulfillment. By debunking myths and presenting evidence-based insights, Isak guides you towards intrinsic goals and meaningful actions that foster genuine happiness. Tune in to learn how to shift your mindset and discover a life of eudaimonic well-being.

Introduction
[00:00:00] 
Isak: Hey everyone, Isak here. Today we are diving deep into something that might just shake up everything you thought you knew about happiness. 

Now, we all want to be happy, right? But, what if I told you that the very pursuit of happiness could actually be making you miserable? 
Stick around, because by the end of this video, you'll have a whole new perspective on how to find true and lasting fulfillment. Let's get started.
 
The Paradox of Chasing Happiness
Isak: All right, let's kick things off with a question. How many times have you caught yourself thinking, "I'll be happy when", Maybe it's when you get that promotion at your job or when you buy that house or when you find that perfect relationship. 

This never ending chase is something I've seen countless times [00:01:00] in my coaching sessions in my friends and in my family. And we're all on this happiness treadmill. We're running endlessly, but we're never truly arriving. But why? What's going on here? 

The Science of Happiness
Isak: Science tells us that external achievements and conditions account for only about 10 percent of our overall happiness. 

Surprised? Listen to this. According to a study by Sonja Lyubomirsky, a leading happiness researcher, our genetic makeup influences about 50 percent of our happiness baseline and the remaining 40 percent it's within our control based on our actions and our attitudes. 

The Trap of Conditional Happiness
Isak: Now, here's where things get a little bit dicey. When we solely focus on the pursuit of happiness as a goal, we place our satisfaction in the outcome, [00:02:00] essentially making it conditional. And this sets a dangerous trap. And it sets a perpetuating cycle where you're never satisfied, always waiting for the next milestone to feel truly happy. 

And I've been there and I struggle with this almost on a weekly basis. I have to catch myself and realign because it's so easy to get into this trap.
I've worked with people who reached their dreams, but they felt more empty than ever before. So if chasing happiness isn't the answer, then what's the answer? 

Eudaimonic vs Hedonic Happiness
Isak: Well, the solution lies in shifting our mindset and shifting our approach. It's about focusing on what many philosophers and scientists refer to as eudaimonia or a life well lived.

As [00:03:00] opposed to hedonia, which is purely pleasure based. So I might create another video where I talk about ins and out of eudaimonic happiness versus hedonic happiness. This video is more of a primer into this sort of thing.

Eudaimonic happiness is pursuing your values and it's pursuing long term fulfilling things, which builds your character and makes you happy long term while hedonic happiness is very much on the surface. It's based on these kicks, as my mom used to say, like she sometimes referred to me and my dad as living on kicks and it's not the best approach.

Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Goals
Isak: Let me now introduce you to the concept of intrinsic versus extrinsic goals.

So intrinsic goals, they are things such as personal growth, [00:04:00] relationships and community involvement, and they are internally fulfilling. They nourish your soul. They boost your wellbeing and they create sustained longterm happiness.

Extrinsic goals on the other hand you know, money, status, and your social media image or the image that you present to the world, These goals might give you this temporary high and it might be beautiful and, you might be craving for these kinds of goals it's something that, feels good immediately and it makes you feel really good. 

But if you think about a long-term sustainable strategy for your life where you're actually pursuing happiness. These extrinsic goals, they give you this, you know, up and down it's very volatile. It gives you a big high, but then it's often followed by a big crash. 

And so it's [00:05:00] easy to fall into this trap of pursuing these goals, especially when you're, down. If you're used to your happiness levels being at the bottom. I mean, you just want to feel this, this high, right? You want to feel this happiness. You're craving for it. And so it's very easy to fall into the trap of pursuing these hedonic kinds of goals, these goals that gives you high, which is temporary, but, oh, so sweet. 

Pursuing Meaning Over Happiness
Isak: So think about it this way. If you pursue meaning, then you can let the happiness be the byproduct. What do I mean by this? Well, purpose, growth and connection. These are the real treasures. It's more about enjoying the journey and not just yearning for the destination. This is in my mind where science meets spirituality. 

So I don't [00:06:00] know if you've read Victor Frankl's books, man's search for meaning, but he says that "happiness cannot be pursued, it must ensue" and to me that means that by, you know, engaging in meaningful activities and building strong relationships and continuously growing happiness naturally follows. 

Actionable Steps and Conclusion
Isak: So here's what I want you to take away from this video. 

Okay, first start reflecting a bit on your life. Are you chasing these extrinsic goals like fame or money? And feeling constantly unfulfilled. 

Well, you can shift your focus. You can invest in intrinsic goals that align with who you truly are. your passions, what you love to do, your values, what you really want your character to be about and your growth. So try this, spend one week focusing on meaningful [00:07:00] actions. This could be volunteering, this could be just engaging in deep conversations or picking up a new skill or, simply be present with your loved ones. And during this period, make sure to reflect on how you feel. It's really important.

You can probably keep a journal about this and I promise you, you will notice a profound difference. This might seem like a very basic kind of exercise, but I'm not sure your therapist would give you a better advice to be honest. This is about self awareness and noticing what you are truly about.

So, all right, thanks for watching. If this video resonated with you make sure to like it because the YouTube algorithm, it's it's difficult to promote your content. And hopefully you want this kind of content to resonate with [00:08:00] other people. So like it, you can subscribe or just share it with a friend And, but what I really want to know is. What is one intrinsic goal that you're going to focus on this week? And whenever you're watching this video remember, happiness isn't a destination. It's more like a journey and it's good to embrace it. 

So, okay. Until next time, stay true to your purpose and continue growing.