By Dave Smith, The Ultimate Retirement Coach
When Thomas Jefferson promised the right to pursue happiness in 1776, he wasn’t talking about pizza, golf trips, or binging Stranger Things until 4AM.
Back then, happiness meant flourishing—living a life of meaning, purpose, and values. This idea came from Aristotle, who explained there are two kinds of happiness:
Hedonic happiness: Comfort, leisure, entertainment, and “good vibes only.” The problem? It’s fleeting.
Eudaimonic happiness: Fulfillment, purpose, and growth. It’s the deeper sense that your life mattered, even when things weren’t easy.
In retirement, it’s tempting to chase hedonic happiness—vacations, hobbies, and comfort. But if happiness disappears when the fun ends, it wasn’t really happiness—it was just anesthesia.
Eudaimonic happiness, on the other hand, is built on living with purpose. It takes more effort, but it’s the only kind of happiness that truly endures.
Pause and ask yourself:
👉 Are you designing your retirement around hedonic happiness (comfort and leisure), or around eudaimonic happiness (purpose and meaning)?
This isn’t about guilt—it’s about clarity. Once you see where your focus is, you can adjust your retirement “happiness compass.”
Take 10 minutes today to complete this exercise. Print it, journal it, or discuss it with your partner. The goal is to realign your retirement with purpose.
Step 1: List Your Pleasures (Hedonic)
What activities give you enjoyment or comfort in retirement?
(Examples: golf, travel, dining out, TV, hobbies.)
Step 2: List Your Purposes (Eudaimonic)
What activities give you fulfillment, pride, or alignment with your values?
(Examples: mentoring, volunteering, creating, learning, deep relationships.)
Step 3: Balance Check
Looking at your lists, where are you currently spending more energy?
☐ Mostly Hedonic
☐ Mostly Eudaimonic
☐ About Even
Step 4: Reset Your Compass
Write one small step you’ll take this week to lean toward purpose in retirement.
My action step: _______________________________________
So many books are written about happiness because deep down, we all want more than just comfort—we want to flourish. Retirement is your chance to design life around what matters most.
Keep these 3 insights in mind:
Pleasure fades. Purpose lasts.
Hedonic happiness is fun, but eudaimonic happiness is fulfilling.
The real pursuit of happiness in retirement is about meaning, not comfort.
When you live with purpose, you’ll discover retirement isn’t the end of your story—it’s the beginning of a whole new chapter of happiness.