Hello friends.
One of my biggest goals for 2020 is to gain a deeper understanding of the science behind happiness.
Today, I’ll be covering a new method of problem-solving that I’ve been experimenting with, that has helped me find the path of greatest happiness when faced with some of the most difficult decisions of my life.
It’s called the “5 Buckets of Happiness”.
At its core, it’s a way of breaking down the most biologically-important human needs, so you can take a more logical approach when searching for direction in your career, relationship, or life in general.
Summary:
As humans in the 21st century, our personal fulfillment comes down to 5 fundamental needs:
- Health
- Wealth
- Personal Development
- Spirituality
- Relationships
It’s in our nature to over-complicate our problems (guilty), but for the majority of people, it’s really that simple!
Personal Examples
To get your gears turning, here are 2 key forks in my life where I’ve used the 5-bucket analogy as my guide:
September 2018: Should I keep working in Seattle, or go travel the world?
Option 1- Stay:
+HEALTH
It’s a lot easier to maintain a gym routine and healthy eating when living in one place.
+WEALTH
Traveling costs money
Option 2- Travel:
+PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Leaving home is challenging. Challenge leads to growth.
+RELATIONSHIPS
Hostels are filled with people from all over the world.
+SPIRITUALITY
Travelers are more spiritual than 9-5 grinders. I could learn a lot from them.
Winner: Travel
November 2019: Should I stay in Wellington NZ keep focusing on my side hustles, or jump on this Tesla contract in Auckland?
Option 1- Stay in Wellington:
+HEALTH
Wellington has a lot more nature than Auckland. I value my clean air.
Option 2- Work at Tesla:
+WEALTH
Job = steady income.
+PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
As a Tesla investor and fan, this would be a great opportunity to grow my knowledge in the industry.
+RELATIONSHIPS
I can meet more people that share my passion for electric vehicles, and the broader movement toward sustainability.
Winner: Tesla
Conclusion
In both of these cases, all I had to do was compare each option in terms of which choice would do the most good for the most “buckets”. That’s really all there is to it!
Final Words
I challenge you to take 3 minutes to stop what you’re doing, and think about how well each of your 5 buckets of happiness are doing.
Again, they are:
- Health
- Wealth
- Personal Development
- Spirituality
- Relationships
Which ones are full?
Which ones could use some love?
And most importantly,
What could you start doing tomorrow to achieve a better balance among your buckets of happiness?
The comfort zone is a dangerous place to be, friends; I encourage you to take some big risks this year.
Just remember…
Follow the buckets!
-Ben
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