There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. The Buddha
This 10 minutes talk examines personal motivation and the connection between responsibility, work and happiness.
What drives you? My young family drives my life, on two levels. My need to provide for them, but also to be in the right frame of mind and the right (mental and emotional) space for them. When I come home from work I want to be the right person for my daughter; I don’t want a split between my work and personal life. I started as a lawyer and then got into business analysis online. I’m also a musician. Career is a slow adventure.
I remember as a kid looking at stars and realising the size of me and our planet in relation to that – ever since then I’ve realised its about so much more than me. Meditation has taught me that there is something beyond things, beyond thoughts, all thought can cease yet you still “exist”.
Where does happiness come in? There’s a link between responsibility and conviction; conviction about your life and what you value is what drives your sense of responsibility. Your conviction is your core, your essence and your common sense.
I think there are two forms of happiness, one is a static happiness and one is a changeable one – driven by external influences and forces. For instance twice in my life I’ve been retrenched and had absolutely no money. Situations like this force you to realise your personal responsibility. Even though I had no money, I knew I could survive. I knew this because my own family had created a profitable vineyard and associated way of life out of absolutely nothing. And I knew I could do it as well. Man S 35
