Perhaps the biggest and most important step for becoming happier, then, is the first: realising we need a plan. Then we must find which plan stands up best to the realities of being alive. There is quite a marketplace of beliefs and philosophies to choose from, and it is hard to know which ones live up to their claims. It seems to be the case that

In his essay “Schopenhauer as Educator,” Nietzsche wrote that the way to discover what you were put on earth for is to go back into your past, list the times you felt most fulfilled, and then see if you can draw a line through them.

According to Aristotle, our reason for existence is to be happy, in the fullest sense of the word—what the Greeks called eudaimonia. Hedonic pleasure is not enough to reach a state of flourishing: we must also live a life of virtue, and use all of our capabilities to their fullest. To live without virtue is to fail to reach our true purpose—like a

In summary, my advice to those seeking a philosophy of life parallels my advice to those seeking a mate. They should realize that which mate is best for them depends on their personality and circumstances. This means that no one is the ideal mate for everyone and that some people are a suitable mate for no one at all. Furthermore, they should reali