A few years ago, I gave up my excessive pursuit of happiness. I used to think that the purpose of life was happiness. But that philosophy didn’t work for me. I realized that happiness is always a byproduct. 

When you spend time with people you love, you feel happy. When you invest four years in getting a degree, you feel happy and accomplished when you graduate. You feel happy when you come up with a useful idea at work. You feel happy when you finish a hard workout. You feel happy when you listen to good music. 

You see? Happiness is the byproduct of an action. It can be as simple as having a conversation with someone or listening to a song.