We all seek happiness. Most of us want worldly happiness: things, experiences, relationships. At work we want business success. Where does that lead us? In most cases to wanting more. That is why so much of business counts growth as the reward: growth in sales, market share, profits. It produces frustration, stress and suffering.
What if we could get ourselves to move on from that repetitive cycle? Where would we be headed? Most probably towards transcendent happiness. In business that may sound a bit other worldly. But it’s not.
Sustainability is presently based on saving the planet for our heirs. That is very laudable and it is no surprise that it is accepted as a necessary condition of doing business. But for many the goals are about doing, not being: taking action to reduce greenhouse gases, support the rights of workers, or disclose information.
What if we took the Dalai Lama’s view that the true value of an action is the motivation that lies behind it, rather than the measurement of success or failure? If the economics of happiness were concerned with well being, it would bring us significantly greater reward than going for growth.