I do not claim to have figured life out, and I encourage the man that does to email me so that we can write a book and make a lot of money. Nevertheless, I do think I have a good idea or two about this whole notion of living and what makes humans tick. Many authors and directors have produced countless pieces of literature and film attempting to decipher our motivations and why we act on them. In the light of America’s Independence Day, I guess it is appropriate to cite one of the most prominent pieces of literature; the Declaration of Independence. In it, our founding fathers outline a carefully thought out selection of inalienable civil liberties, one of which is the right to pursue happiness. So what does that mean? How does one begin this ever-evasive pursuit and what does the process entail? The not-so-top-secret secrets to happiness might surprise you.

The first and most fundamental aspect of happiness’ pursuit is to recognize that happiness is a state of being, not a destination at which to arrive. It is also a choice! Just as people choose to brush their teeth every morning or to tie their shoes, happy people choose to be happy. So many people go throughout their lives waiting for some sort of epiphany or revelation that says, “YES, (insert name here), YOU ARE FINALLY HAPPY! CONGRATS!” I like to call these people treasure-mappers. They’re searching. For what exactly, even they probably don’t know. The best job maybe? A significant other? The second that these individuals realize that happiness is a permanent state is the same second that their lives will change forever, and they can finally start taking control over their disposition.

Some people try to facilitate some sort of ugly pseudo-happiness by surrounding themselves with tangible things. So the next stop on the journey of happiness is to reconcile the fact that money will not alone make someone happy, but the security it provides can certainly help. Now bear with me here, because I know that John D. Rockefeller is turning over in his grave somewhere and a few of you are searching for the next article, but just hear me out. A recent study revealed that the maximum individual salary necessary to provide for basic needs and security and to not overindulge is only about $70,000/year, not the millions that most people guessed. Director Roko Belic does an eloquent job of explaining this notion in his documentary Happy (and yes it’s on Netflix). Belic gives the example that if someone is cold, wet, naked, and hungry in the woods, then becoming warm, dry, clothed, and fed will result in an immediate and undeniable spike in happiness. The problem is that we as humans assume that a better means of fulfilling basic needs, whether it is a more impressive warming venue or more expensive clothes, will make us even happier. This is simply not true, and when it comes to happiness, keeping things simple is always better.

The final and probably most difficult idea to accept is the idea that individual achievement is almost negligible. This is not to say that competing and making a good name of one’s self is not a valuable aspect of becoming happy. However, becoming “successful” just for the sake of doing so with no intrinsic motivation is almost completely pointless. Anybody that has seen the photograph of the pale blue dot and heard the narration by Carl Sagan has felt insignificant at some point. Tom Brady, the quarterback for the New England Patriots and arguably the most celebrated athlete of our generation, made some intriguing comments to ESPN. When asked about his career accomplishments, vast fortune, and sex-appeal off the field, Brady asked simply, “Why do I have three Super Bowl rings yet feel there is something greater out there for me? Some people would think ‘I reached my goal, my dream, etc’ but I’m like dang… there has to be more than this. I wish I knew.” This shocked reporters. The fact of the matter is that even if you are one in a million at whatever you do, there are still seven thousand people just like you. There is more to be done as far as fulfillment is concerned by helping others.

So what should you get out of this? My advice is to find something that you love to do that helps the world and go do it. Now. This is called your vocation. On the way try to find some other people that share your vision and welcome them on your journey. Life is too short to spend it around bad company doing things you don’t want to do. Spend the money from your vocation on experiences and not tangible items. Work hard, dream big, and don’t let anyone distract you. Become the person you want to meet and never stop learning. Most importantly, recognize that this is your life… so make the choice to be happy.