The Happiness of Pursuit

I’m an American. Not by birth, by naturalization. I am also very patriotic. I believe in the ideals this country was founded upon. We are fortunate enough to have been granted the benefits of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness here in the U.S. I think that’s great. Because in some places these things aren’t guaranteed.

While the wisdom of the founders of our country surely meant we were free to pursue the things that made us happy, as long as we weren’t infringing on the happiness of others, it may have missed the mark. I believe that rather than being entitled to pursue happiness for it’s own sake, we should instead be seeking the happiness of pursuit.

The artists and creatives that I know are happiest when they are making something. Putting something into existence that wasn’t there before. The happiness does not exist in the finished object. An art quilt, hand carved wooden bowl, painting or pottery piece is not inherently happy. However, I know this from experience, when I am in my studio getting inspired and then getting busy with that inspiration is when I am happy with my work. Once it is completed, I’m happy I made it but I’ll be just as happy making the next piece.

The joy for me, and I dare say many others, is in the continued happiness we feel when we are pursuing something. Here’s some examples of things that I pursue. You may share some of these or have completely different ones. My goal is to illustrate my point.

Trying a new recipe and then working with it to make it better. Happy I tried something new, happy I am pursuing an improvement. Learning a new line dance. I work at it until I get it good enough that I can get out on the dance floor and not be a hazard, then I continue to make it more fluid and graceful. Making an art quilt. I am happy figuring out the fabric color palette, dyeing fabric, playing around and making decisions about the quilting or the final product. I am happy in the process. Hiking a trail to eat my breakfast at the top of the mountain. I’m happy to be in the woods, working my body, listening to the birds, taking in the view and enjoying my meal. It is in the pursuit of the hilltop that I find my happiness, not just when I reach the top. If that were the case, I’d have stopped hiking a long time ago. How about planning a vacation? All the decisions and considerations we wade through to get to the place we want to spend our time is very rewarding. But, have you ever been on a vacation and you are already thinking about where you want to go next? Not because where you are isn’t great - because there is joy in the pursuit.

People, or at least advertising, wants us to believe that we are entitled to happiness. We deserve it. Obviously, if we buy their product or service we will be buying happiness. I disagree. The harder I work, the happier I am. I reap the benefits of both the process and the product that it produces. But to only work for the results is missing the point. As creatives, we must work for the joy in the work. If you don’t find joy in making art - do something else. Whatever that is should bring you happiness throughout the pursuit, not just at the end.

I think finding a purpose makes people happy. If you’ve ever known someone who doesn’t feel they have a purpose, you probably noticed they aren’t particularly happy. Finding your purpose is not complicated. Follow your happiness and within it you will find purpose.

I also think that the happiness of pursuit is why we end up starting a lot of projects but often don’t complete them. We have an idea, maybe go buy some art supplies, or ingredients or something specific to our inspiring project. Then we get started, it’s new and exciting or at the very least, interesting. Once the initial spark flickers out though, we lose interest or the threshold of initial excitement fades a bit. It’s harder to stay motivated. We move on to the next shiny thing or inspired idea. I don’t think this is because the project we were enthused about got any less good. I believe it’s because we are excited to pursue something novel but in this fast paced world our attention quickly moves to the next thing. The power of focused attention on something all the way through to the end is harder to sustain. I assure you that at one time I had several unfinished pieces. I resolved to see each one through to its completion. I learned a lot about the resolve it takes to see the process through. I also gained a lot of satisfaction from seeing each project to its finished product. That mindset helped me build the creative muscle it takes to consistently make work. It also taught me that the pursuit is long and so the happiness will level off at some point. It’s still in there but only if you continue to pursue your project. If you abandon the work, you will forever be looking for the next thing that will bring you happiness. If you stick with it, you will get small bursts of happiness along the way. Therein lies the payoff of happiness within the pursuit. Not the other way around.

So, here’s your homework. What do you enjoy doing so much that if no one ever saw it, commented on it, praised you for it, or paid you for it, you would do anyway? That’s your happiness. To look for it in a store, product, person or anywhere outside of yourself is a waste of your time and energy. Use that energy to become engaged in the actions that you are happy doing. It’s easier than you think and more powerful than anything you can buy.