I have grown to appreciate the wisdom in Victor Frankl’s novel,
Man’s Search for Ultimate Meaning, when he writes, “Happiness must ensue. It cannot be pursued. It is the very pursuit of happiness that
thwarts happiness. The more one makes
happiness the aim, the more he misses the aim” (Frankl, 1948, p.90). It seems to me that many people, myself
included, go about seeking happiness in their daily lives. However, happiness itself cannot be obtained
in and of itself. It is derived as a
secondary effect from having served a greater purpose (i.e. self-transcendence,
selflessness, spirituality, love).
Cited
Frankl, V. E. (2000). Man's
search for ultimate meaning. Cambridge, Mass.: Perseus Pub.
