i use to say: don’t spend time w/ people on things you don’t like. But now that I see how you phrase it, I do prefer the positivistic way of looking at it

Yep, I think this is why even when my work is really hard, I’m happy, happy. Work everyday on my passionate thing (food), with the one I love (co-founder = fiance), all in a world-class city (SF). And I think it really clicks when you’ve got all three going.

That’s pretty solid. I’d add “Appreciate what you have instead of focusing on what you don’t.” That’s always re-centered me and made me feel very grateful and fulfilled.

Sounds simple but seems impossible to reach for so many people.

And study Probability

Good answer, but the data shows that PEOPLE (the quality of your social relationships) is by far most important aspect to happiness and fulfillment. Unless you are the unibomber, the priority should be in the sequence you mentioned.

It seems those sorts of thoughts/statements/epiphanies usually come after the long conversations ..hence the “journey not the destination” thing

This is similar to what i heard when i was in my 20′s which was that you have (1) your living situation; (2) your significant other; (3) your job. I was told that in my 20′s that i would never be happy with all three at the same time, which i found to be mostly true.

I think you got half and missed half. Striking a perfect lasting high note of “people, place, thing” is nigh impossible. The idea that happiness or fulfillment can be a result of putting together the right puzzle pieces has truth to it, but doesn’t take into account the fact that life is also an ongoing barrage of change that constantly shifts the puzzle pieces out of place as soon as we think we have them where we want them. In fact, I think that one of the reasons why we’re not happier as a country is that we approach happiness too systematically, believing that if only we can create the right set of circumstances, everything will fall into place. One of the happiest and most fulfilling moments of my life was a night spent exhausted, cold, hungry and alone under a tree in Zurich, Switzerland. The 50% you left out is opening to and accepting present experience in all that it has to offer/teach, regardless of if it’s perfect or pleasant or matches a conceptual ideal (people, place, thing, for ex).

50% of life is working towards balance, and 50% is accepting the fact that you’ll never fully find it. In the end there is no such thing as balance, there is only the ongoing process of balancing.

I like the phrase, “Life is about making stories and telling stories.” Seems to match your answer quite well.

love the statement. Also, having spend my honeymoon in Iceland two years ago – I have fond memories. The people are clever and entrepreneurial in so many ways

this is one of my favourite quotes. I had it favoured on twitter for a while and today on AVC.com I got a chance to share it http://www.avc.com/a_vc/2012/08/fun-friday-quotes.html