The Happiness Formula
This Thanksgiving, my family all came to Arizona.
My parents, siblings, their families – having an awesome time playing sports, laughing, eating good food.
During one conversation, I asked my dad if he had any newsletter ideas.
He thought for a second and said,
"Talk about happiness... how to be happy."
Amazing topic.
Thanks Dad :)
Most of us chase happiness the wrong way.
We prioritize things that don't actually make us happy at all.
So today I'm breaking down
5 things that CONSISTENTLY make humans happier.
Let's dive in.
1. GRATITUDE
Gratitude is the fastest path to happiness.
We can be grateful anytime, anywhere, in any condition.
There's ALWAYS something to be grateful for.
It's like that poem about the man who was sad because he had no shoes...
Until he saw the man who had no feet.
Suddenly he was massively grateful for the feet he had.
There are two ways to look at life:
Through the lens of what's missing...
Or through the lens of what's already good.
Gratitude pulls your brain out of "what's missing" and into "what's already good."
I like to write down 3 things I'm grateful for each morning and 3 things that went well at night.
Why does this work?
Your brain literally rewires to notice more positives, more opportunities, more blessings.
You train yourself to become more grateful.
And the more grateful you are, the happier you are.
It's a skill we can actually BUILD through daily repetition.
2. RELATIONSHIPS
Relationships are the BIGGEST predictor of long-term happiness.
Not money.
Not fame.
Not success.
RELATIONSHIPS.
Stronger relationships = stronger happiness
For me, this looks like:
Daily small, playful moments with my kids
100% present conversations with my wife
Texting someone that I was thinking of them
Calling a family member for a good conversation
Taking my wife on a weekly date
The key is dedicated time, not distracted time.
Time where we're focused on other people – cherishing them, loving them, serving them, talking with them.
Connection beats isolation 10 out of 10 times.
3. PROGRESS
The third thing that makes humans happier is progress – the feeling of moving forward.
Progress doesn't mean massive wins or hitting huge goals.
It simply means forward motion.
Tiny progress MATTERS.
That feeling that you're improving, that you're getting closer to the 10.0 version of yourself...
As you slowly, consistently get tiny wins and make tiny progress, that feeling of moving forward brings happiness.
Because you're creating a better version of yourself.
As you grow and become better, you feel joy.
It's inherent to our nature.
As you become a better parent, spouse, business owner, friend, student...
As you get healthier...
As you work harder...
All that progress creates more happiness because you're moving forward.
Try this:
Each day, ask "What's the ONE thing I can do today to move my life forward?"
Do that thing and you will feel dramatically happier.
4. PURPOSE
Living aligned with what matters to you.
We are happiest when our actions match our values.
For me, that means putting my family and faith first.
It means building companies.
It means teaching, coaching, and helping people.
It means strengthening my body and building my health.
It means learning and growing.
If we live out of alignment with our purpose, our happiness drops.
Working nonstop, not having time for family, ignoring health, not learning or growing...
All these make our happiness plummet because they're out of alignment with what truly matters.
Each week during my planning session, I ask:
"Did I live in alignment with what matters most to me this week?"
If I spent tons of time on things that aren't important while neglecting areas that ARE important... I make adjustments.
As we focus on the things that truly matter, we become happier.
5. ENERGY
Happiness is a physical state.
Low energy = low happiness
High energy = high happiness
We can boost our energy through:
Good sleep
Working out, sweating, lifting weights, playing sports
Being outside, getting sunshine
Eating good, real food
Drinking water, staying hydrated
Getting face-to-face time with people we love
Spending less time on screens
Creating quiet pockets in our days
All these things make your body feel good.
And when your body feels good, your life feels good.
The state of your physical body is a MAJOR contributor to your happiness.
Focus on improving your energy and your happiness will improve dramatically.
THE HAPPINESS FORMULA
If we want happiness to become our default state, it's simple:
GRATITUDE + CONNECTION + PROGRESS + PURPOSE + ENERGY
These five things, done consistently, will make you happier.
Not always in a dramatic, explosive way (though that will happen)...
But quietly, steadily, every day.
You'll just become happier with yourself, your life, and everything around you.
HAPPINESS THIEVES
There are also things that STEAL happiness from us:
Comparison
Too much phone time
Overworking
Perfectionism
Not resting
Holding grudges
Debt or disorganized finances
No boundaries
Constant rushing
As we remove these things, our happiness naturally rises.
I'd love to hear from you:
What's something that makes you happy?
And what's something you've noticed drains your happiness?
Hit reply and let me know – I'm working to bring more happiness into my life too.
Keep smiling bigger,
Zack
