Lasting happiness isn't found in pleasure or achieving goals, but in managing desires and embracing effort. The 'arrival fallacy' reveals that reaching goals often brings disappointment, not joy. Instead, progress itself—especially toward transcendent goals like family, service, and faith—fuels deeper fulfillment. Daily habits rooted in intrinsic values build emotional resilience by reducing stress and cortisol. Consistency in routines fosters coherence, purpose, and significance—the three pillars of meaning. Ultimately, serving others and contributing to something larger than oneself generates more lasting satisfaction than personal enjoyment ever can.