We had a blog competition in my company, and this was my entry.
What makes me happy? Happiness itself is a relative term. It varies from person to person. What makes me happy will not make you happy. So before going into each of the options given, I will define myself.
Who am I? If I were Jackie Chan, I would have to make a movie to know. But I am a Software Engineer, so by definition I am not supposed to know who I am and what I want. Then again I will not know what makes me happy. So 'In pursuit of Happiness' I will go with an assumption of myself.
I am a simple, down-to-earth, honest, hardworking Software Engineer (now please don't laugh) with middle class values. I want to live in a comfortable house, have enough food to eat, cover myself with decent clothes, have money to buy medicines when I or my family members fall sick, save for my marriage (if I ever find the girl), my future (:)), my kids (if I get married – remember I have Middle class values) and most importantly, in the short term, have enough money to do Tax Savings.
All this, is taken care by my company (I meant the money part). So if I come to office in the morning, work hard and be honest, all my basic needs are taken care of. Wow! Am I happy? If life were so easy, wouldn't it be great?
But there is an irritating boss to report to (I am being hypothetical here), obnoxious cubicle mates (hypothetical again), and most of all the Season that falls between February to April (sometimes gets extended to May) - Appraisals!!! The Boss is not happy with whatever I do (a la Hari Sadu), the colleagues are always complaining that they have to work late hours, and the season of doubt, anger, anxiety, frustrations (none of mine, according to the hypothesis) affect me and casts a dark shadow. I try to motivate myself. How? By working harder, by moving away from all the ills that the corporate world has to offer.
An HR friend of mine once commented "The baby that cries gets the toffee". So when I just work, work and work and don’t get affected by anything that happens around me or to me, what will my boss think? "He would anyways be happy so I will give him what he deserves, I will give the other guy an early promotion" (or such). But I being human, at this (gross) injustice will feel sad and will be drawn into the vicious circle of doubt, anger, anxiety, frustrations - which till now were not affecting me. So if I had been recognized in some way, I would be happy. So at the end of the day, whoever I am, recognition will make me happy.
So does that mean I don’t need any money? No! Because my initial assumption, I realize, is wrong. I am not simple (ask my wife!), not down-to-earth (ask my friends), not honest and hardworking (ask my Boss). I am human after all. I am made of all ingredients that Adam was infused with when he ate the apple. My needs are not simple and they cannot be satisfied by any salary, how much ever I get. For instance, today if I am happy with a Tata Nano, I will longingly look at an Indica. If I get that, I will look at a Manza. When I buy a Manza, I will look at the Aria parked in the showroom and when I buy the Aria, Tata will introduce Jaguar in India.
So being human, I need money and also Recognition. I am like a child who wants both, the candy and the toy. After all, inside every grown up, there is a kid hiding somewhere.