“The goal of mankind is knowledge… Pleasure is not the goal of man, but knowledge. Pleasure and happiness come to an end… The cause of all the miseries we have in the world is that men foolishly think pleasure is the ideal to strive for.”
– Swami Vivekananda
When we experience pleasure, life feels like heaven. When we experience its polar opposite – pain – the same life feels like hell. Pleasure is like sea water for the thirsty. You constantly seek it from people, objects, and experiences, and avoid anything that could cause pain.
Work seems like one of the causes of pain. But it’s not work; it’s meaningless work that causes pain. Work that we hate to do, that we mindlessly do, or do as a means toward an ulterior motive, which, if not achieved, makes us miserable.
Meaningful work creates discomfort, which is not the same as pain. It pushes you outside your comfort zone, but it’s also fulfilling. Like muscles after a workout, your abilities grow. Every experience, every setback, every victory translates into knowledge that lights the lamp that dispels the darkness of ignorance from your life.
Enough of seeking pleasure from people and objects. From now on, give love to your work. People may or may not reciprocate your love, but work, when loved, will always return the greatest gift: knowledge that leads to genuine happiness.