The Only Way to Truly Be Happy

Adrian S. Potter
4 min readJul 2

It might not be what you’d guess.

Photo by Jacqueline Munguía on Unsplash

One of my favorite quotes comes from American poet William Carlos Williams. While at college, he penned a letter to his mother with this poignant, inspirational gem:

“The only way to be truly happy is to make others happy.”

This statement echoes the sentiments of countless leaders and great thinkers throughout time. It encapsulates a fundamental truth about the nature of personal joy and our interconnectedness as human beings. In exploring this idea, one can unravel various dimensions of happiness, including its meaning and implications.

But what does this quote mean?

Like it or not, we are all connected.

At its core, this quote emphasizes the inherent link between our happiness and the happiness of others.

It suggests that our well-being remains intimately tied to the well-being of those around us. This perspective challenges the conventional notion that happiness is an individual pursuit driven solely by personal achievements or material possessions. Instead, it highlights the importance of relationships, empathy, and caring in generating genuine positive vibes.

Compassion points us toward finding our smiles.

When we strive to make others happy, we engage in acts of compassion and caring.

Whether helping a neighbor, volunteering at a shelter or food drive, or taking time out to listen to a friend or relative, we intend to lend a hand or ear to prop others up — and during those moments, we are not selfishly focused on our needs.

By extending ourselves to uplift and support others, we can create a sense of connection and fulfillment.

Through selfless acts. we experience a deeper level of optimism that transcends our desires and needs. In this way, making others happy becomes an enriching and fulfilling endeavor that adds meaning and purpose to our lives.

Stop having a scarcity mindset towards happiness.

Furthermore, this quote suggests that happiness is not a finite resource that…

Adrian S. Potter

Antisocial Extrovert · Writer and Poet, Engineer, Consultant, Public Speaker · Writing about self-improvement, gratitude, and creativity · www.adrianspotter.com