On a personal level, I have always had difficulty defining happiness for myself, or achieving that state of mind for sustained periods. As Eben noted, science has shown us that this is often a chemical/genetic problem rather than a lifestyle problem, and I believe this is the case for me.

I think that pursuing a meaningful life in relation to one's values is separate from "happiness". I see happiness more as a component of my social life (family, friends, relationships). Attempting to work towards things that matter to me has not, in my experience, made me happier. As Caroline notes, it can often be a frustrating experience. But "meaningful work" does do something for me. Maybe its a sense of satisfaction, or usefulness, or the thrill of being part of a theatrical production that ostensibly pits my values against those I disagree with.

On a related note, I'm not sure that I agree with Eben's claim that Americans have views of happiness and life that are inconsistent with those held by other cultures. Of course, each culture will have its own somewhat unique conceptions of what makes for a fulfilling life, but there does seem to be a great deal of overlap. Eben seems to have been saying that we have a unique, "pursuit of happiness" belief in the way life "should be". Maybe the desire to buy a home, move to the suburbs, and have three cars is part of a gigantic con that America has been playing on the rest of the world over the past half a century. In fact, this is probably part of the story. But there are also innate, biological/psychological needs which connect people across cultures. With the exception of monks, I've never met anyone who isn't striving to achieve a certain level of material welfare. Why work as hard as people do across the world, if not for a belief that prosperity has a significant bearing on happiness?

-- WalkerNewell - 24 Feb 2009