“Happiness is the feeling of contribution to others.” | Alfred Adler
This simple definition of happiness was another one of the revelatory moments in “The Courage to be Disliked.”
Adler’s thesis is that humans are inherently social beings. All our problems are thus interpersonal problems. And true happiness doesn’t come from approval, status, or success.
Instead, it arises when you feel you’re contributing meaningfully to your community or to someone else’s life — whether through work, relationships, or simple daily actions. This idea is expressed in the german word – Gemeinschaftsgefühl – or “community feeling. “
This reminded me of the biggest takeaway from the longest longitudinal study we’ve ever run (“The Harvard study”) – the biggest indicator of our long-term well is the health of our relationships.
Adler would rightly point to Gemeinschaftsgefühl.
