I think there’s a obvious answer here, and I don’t want to just give the Sunday school answer, but I mean, the joy is obviously more important. The joy is that deep sense of deep desire, satisfaction that you’ve done something well, and you’ve done something of purpose, and usually it means you’ve done something to significantly impact others whereas happiness is just about seeing something good happen. Big difference.
Finding Joy with Our Family
Oh, it’s hearing my kids laugh, hearing my wife laugh, hearing them affirm each other. Very seldomly that happens, I think, with the kids. Hopefully, with my wife it happens all the time. So hearing them love, serve, hearing my kids pray, just hearing them enjoy God is probably the thing that gives me the most joy in my own life outside of work.
Where Do We Find Joy?
How can leaders help others find joy? Well, where do we get joy? We get joy when we help serve, move someone else forward, when we sacrifice for someone else to their benefit, and they grow. When I help someone else do that, they experience joy.
That’s how we experience joy. It’s better to give than it is to receive. So if I help someone else learn to give, then I know they’re going to experience joy, not just happiness, but joy as well, and that’s the greatest thing I could do.