Why Happiness Isn’t the Goal — and What Might Be Instead | by Jennifer Slukynsky

For as long as most of us can remember, happiness has been pitched to us like a finish line. It shows up in ads, self-help books, life plans, and even our casual conversations: “I just want to be happy.”

But here’s the quiet truth so few say out loud:
Happiness isn’t a realistic or idealistic goal — it’s a byproduct.

Not because we don’t deserve it. Not because it’s unreachable. But because happiness, in its truest form, is fleeting — a state, not a destination. It ebbs and flows like every other emotion. To chase it as the main goal is to chase something constantly slipping through your fingers.

The Problem with Chasing Happiness

When we treat happiness as the end-all-be-all, we unintentionally create a blueprint for disappointment. If happiness is the marker of success, then hard days, grief, restlessness, or discomfort feel like failure. But they’re not. They’re part of being a whole, emotionally alive human.

Even more dangerously, happiness as a goal can become a mask. A way to avoid deeper questions. A distraction from doing the harder but more meaningful work of growth, healing, and living in alignment with your values.

So What Is the Goal?

Let’s try something different.

Instead of happiness, what if we chased:

• Presence – Being rooted in the now, even when it’s messy or imperfect.

• Purpose – Living in alignment with your values, even when it’s hard.

• Wholeness – Making space for all your emotions, not just the “good” ones.

• Meaning – Doing work and creating relationships that add depth to life.

These things don’t promise constant joy — but they often bring moments of it. Not as a reward, but as a side effect of living well.

A New Way to Measure a Good Life

Let’s stop measuring a good life by how happy we feel at every moment. Let’s measure it by how present we are. How much beauty we can find in the ordinary. How resilient we are in the face of change. How much we’re growing and giving.

The Enthusiast Edit is here for those building lives full of depth — not just dopamine. Because when you trade the pursuit of happiness for something richer, you just might find more joy along the way.