September 8, 2008
Formula for Happiness
Posted by: aarrieta In: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
One of the things that influenced me the most in my life to become the person I am today was the fact of becoming a boy scout at the age of 10 and having been there until I was 21. Those 11 years gave me a lot of things, among them most of my closest friends, but I think that the most important thing that I got was a education on life, one that you don’t learn at school.
There are many aspects in which this education was of influence, incorporating the concept of serving others, making thing right from the beginning to shorten the way, strengthen ones character based on personal achievement, self criticism, etc.
In this case I want to refer to one of the most important, which is the main objective of any human being, maybe part of the meaning of life and for me it is even more important than procreating and maintaining the human species, without going into metaphysical or religious disquisitions. I am talking about the search for happiness.
This formula to this never ending search that all human beings have, arrived to me thanks to scouting and maybe before I wandered about it, it was there in the moments I needed it.
As all great solutions, the simplest one is maybe the most useful and impacting one and that is not the exception.
The formula to happiness consists of simply making the rest happy. This is the simple fact that generates personal happiness.
And the method is not questioned if happiness is a succession of moments of happiness, or a permanent state of ecstasy called nirvana.
This formula does not come alone, it comes with a goal, which the founder of the Scout movement and author of this method applies to himself, and it is trying to leave the world in better conditions than the way we found it. This starts with to leaving the things that we get involved in, in better conditions than we found them without questioning or miseries. This predisposes an atmosphere for making happy the ones around you and therefore being happy yourself.
On the scouting day worldwide I want to give you my formula for happiness the same way I got it many years ago, with this letter form Branden Powell, who wrote it on a mode of Last Lecture
Dear Scouts:
If you have ever seen “Peter Pan”, you will remember how the head of the pirates was always performing his last speech, since he was afraid of when the time comes not to have enough time to make it public. That’s how I feel, even when I am not dying now, this will eventually happen one of these days and I wish to tell you a farewell speech. Remember: This is the last time that you will hear from me, therefore, meditate it.
I’ve had a very prosperous life, and I wish you all the same. I am convinced that God has put us in this wonderful world to be happy and to enjoy life. But happiness does not come only from wealth, or being successful in your career, or pleasing oneself. A step towards happiness is to become healthy and strong when you’re a child, to be useful and to be able to enjoy life when being a man.
Studying nature will teach you how God has filled this world with beautiful and wonderful things for you to be able to enjoy. Be pleased with what you have and get the best out of it as you can. Always see the positive side of things, not the negative side.
But the actual way of obtaining happiness is making the rest happy. Try to leave this world in better conditions than when you found it, this way, when is time to die, you will be able to do it happily because, at least, you didn’t waste time and you did as much as you could to do the right thing. “Be ready” this way to enjoy a prosperous life and die happily: stick to your Scout Promise, even when you are no longer boys. Hope God helps you do it.
Your Friend,
PS: I’ve never thanked my elementary school classmate Brian for inviting me to join the scout group 25 years ago. Thank you Brian!
