Matthew McConaughey has a newsletter called Lyrics for Livin’. He waxes philosophically about a variety of topics. I liked his latest article about happiness versus joy.

Happiness: an emotional response to an outcome. That’s what happiness is, and we all want more of it. It is a noble pursuit. Hey, if I win, I’m going to be happy. If I get that promotion, I’m going to be happy. If she says yes, I’m going to be happy. If I finally fit into that dress, I’m going to be happy. If my kid gets into that Ivy League school, I’m going to be happy. Yeah, it’s an if, then cause and effect, quid pro quo. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I think it’s the wrong pursuit, because it’s an unsustainable standard that we immediately raise the bar for every time we attain it. See, it is result reliant. Happiness is a short-term dopamine hit that is set up to fail. Joy. Joy is a different thing.

Why? Because joy is not a result. It’s a constant. It’s the feeling we have from doing what we are fashioned to do, no matter the outcome. You see, joy is the process, the behavior that we are enjoying while on our way to our destination. Joy is contentment, satisfaction in the doing. Now, personally, as an actor, I started enjoying my work and literally having more joy in my life when I stopped trying to make my work a means to a certain end, when I stopped seeking happiness as a result, approval as the outcome, accolades as proof. For example, oh, I need this film to be a box office success to be happy, or I need the respect of my peers and my performance to be acknowledged to be happy. Those are reasonable aspirations. But the truth is, as soon as the process of the work, the daily making of the movie, the doing of the deed, as soon as that became the reward in itself for me…

Well, guess what?

I got more box office. I got more approval, I got more accolades, more results than I ever had before. You see, Joy is always under construction. It is a constant approach, alive and well in the doing of what we are fashioned to do and enjoying it. When we choose experiences over outcomes, we get more results and enjoy it.