Which is more important, happiness or passion?

Question

If you were forced to choose, would you rather live an unhappy life full of passion or a happy life lacking in passion? Why?

This is why I'm asking: I have been going after my passion all my life, but I never got much happiness out of them. In fact, as soon as I achieved something, the lusting for more made me feel slightly unhappier. I'm beginning to think that happiness is over-rated.

Answer 1

My husband is like that. He's never happy. I always tell him, that's because he's looking for happiness in the wrong places. His motorcycles don't love him back. Our kids love him - or, at least try to - even though he mostly ignores them. I think he should be looking to his family for his happiness, but he considers our wishes to share our lives with him to be "demanding." He says the motorcycles don't ask anything of him, they simply give him enjoyment. If so, why is he still so unhappy? I think happiness comes from sharing with other people, not from things.

Answer 2

I think the simple fact of having a passion for something will make you happy and/or upset depending on the development of things associated to that passion. When you are successful and achieve an improvement, from the moment you are passionate about what you are doing, you want to achieve more, and I find this normal, healthy and wonderful. Imagine for one second...you would not want more but been completely satisfied with what you have achieve, so it's the end of your searching, as consequence, the end of your passion. It would that not make you feel extremely unhappy and empty? Perhaps the key here is that the process of been searching something with passion, independently of what the results are, make you a very lucky person, you have found something you really love, that gives you moments of happiness and sadness and that makes you alive, for good and for bad.

Answer 3

I believe that passion is more important. Passion is what drives great minds, and great labors. It brings about what was never done before, what was thought to be impossible. Sure, we could seek happiness, but happiness is like a flower's bloom. We wait so long for it to come, and when it does, it lasts only for a moment. Passion is like the hardy growth of the tree, everyday slowly becoming bigger until its branches reach the sky, and its leaves shadow those below. And even yet at this state, a tree continues to grow.

By passion, Thomas Jefferson succeded after hundreds of failures. By passion, the Americans gained their freedom. By passion, one man died for all of us (but that is a much different story, and if you would like to discuss it with me, then e-mail at [e-mail])

Yes, I would live an unhappy life full of passion, knowing that later on, my work wasn't for nothing. That it should continue to touch others in a positive way. Shouldn't that be a good enough reason to be happy?

Answer 4

It's just my belief but I think happiness isnt a sustained feeling. I mean to be continually in a state of bliss or happiness doesnt make total sense to me. There are ups and downs, hi's and lows, times of greatness and times of solitude. I think as long as you are passionatey seeking you are living a full life. Passion drives us, it motivates us. So, I think without the pursuit of passion in one's life there would be no happiness, other than an encredibly empty-happiness, which some folks settle for. Look at this way, some folks go a life time and think the only passion there is, is the one involving sex, they tend to be settler's. As long as you are pursuing your passions, you're filling a desire. I would honestly have to say, I would choose passion over happiness, because to me when I fulfilled my passion, I would find some form of happiness, if just in the contentment of doing it.

Answer 5

That can only be determined as a result of passion. If at the end of your passion, there is a lasting happiness then your passion was a good thing.

Answer 6

I accept as true with you. pastime in the broadest experience of the notice is the biggest to a fulfilled life worth residing. pastime for what you're doing, for the persons around you, for all times itself is contagious and the superb driving rigidity. i don't be attentive to approximately happiness, yet i might say that a fulfilled, significant life comes somewhat near to it. paintings is yet another key to having this beneficial feeling. helping others in any way you additionally can. i've got faith that straightforward artwork and love for a fellow man or woman deliver happiness to our lives.

Answer 7

I rather be happy. passion goes two ways. passionate "love" and passionate "hate". with passionate people they are always jumping between the two. i'll stick to happy.

Answer 8

Well, go after what makes you happy, I've been doing that my whole life and it hasn't pretty much worked, it's called hard work and you will achieve your dreams and be happy doing that.

Answer 9

You cannot be truly happy without having at least some passion.
Your question contains internal contradiction...
It's like asking: what's more important : happiness or joy?

Answer 10

But happiness comes from pursuing ones passions....

your question is internally flawed.