"I've long defined happiness as a mix of meaning and purpose. Meaning is how we cognitively make sense of our past; purpose is about the actions we take in the present and future. Happy people tend to tell themselves heroic stories about their past in a way that allows them to feel "enough." They then embrace a version of purpose that's process-oriented-a "little p" purpose-anchored in everyday actions that light them up. That's happiness in a nutshell."
"Purpose burnout doesn't always look like a nervous breakdown. It can look like being a workaholic, a fitness fanatic, or even a relentless do-gooder. The problem isn't the activities themselves. it's our relentless pursuit of them. Even well-intentioned purpose, when overindulged, can leave us drained. The result is what I call a purpose hangover: the emotional and physical fatigue that comes from chasing too much meaning too fast."
Happiness combines meaning and purpose: meaning interprets the past while purpose drives present and future action. Happy people create narratives of past experience that allow them to feel enough and pursue a process-oriented, "little p" purpose through everyday actions that bring joy. Excessive pursuit of purpose and achievement generates existential exhaustion and purpose burnout. Purpose burnout can manifest as workaholism, fitness obsession, or relentless do-gooding when relentless pursuit drains rather than energizes. Overindulgence in well-intentioned activities leads to a purpose hangover — emotional and physical fatigue from chasing too much meaning too fast. Signs include exhaustion, procrastination, and dread toward formerly enjoyable activities, and recovery often requires pivoting away from purpose that no longer brings joy and refocusing on process over destination.
Read at Psychology Today
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