Why would you not be happy if you achieve what you want in life?

Sure it's a stressful journey, but if you ask me if i would pick between a life that actually served a purpose vs. a life I just lived because I lived, I would pick one that aimed to serve a purpose any day, no matter how stressful it is. You may think living a balanced "happy" life is happiness, but when you're at your deathbed and think back at your life, you will regret not having done all you could have done.

Speaking of, check out Maslow's hierarchy of needs. I didn't believe in it when I was very young because I was down there in the pyramid, but now I realize that's not the case. You may say this is luxury for most people, and that is true. Most human population are not in a situation where they have the resources and ability to climb up all the way to the top of the hierarchy of needs, but I think anyone from HN community should be able to.

As far as I know, most people wish on their deathbeds that they'd have worked less, been with their loved ones more, and generally would have done more anything else than work.

I get that there are extremely driven individuals who want to achieve great things - and some of them are even able to do so - but articles like this should be understood in the context of a culture where common people work themselves to death trying to achieve "success" defined by the surrounding culture rather than in their own terms.

> "As far as I know, most people wish on their deathbeds that they'd have worked less, been with their loved ones more, and generally would have done more anything else than work."

No, this is just a hackneyed cliche that gets repeated every time work-life balance gets discussed.

I know quite a few people in late middle age that dearly wish they have worked harder and earned more money, now that they need it and can't.

There is a difference between late middle age and deathbed. If it is a hackneyed cliche (and I wouldn't be surprised if it is), I would like to see evidence for it (first hand anecodotal evidence is sufficient, but from someone who is verifiably not you, but worked long hours, and is dying).

And you counter with personal anecdotes. But of course they must be true because they fit your narrative.

I think it's can be more the realisation that the achievement you thought you wanted wasn't actually what was important to you. For example seeking fame and status because you have low self-esteem is famously not a great way to feel better about yourself.

Further even Maslow acknowledged that the level taxonomy he came up with was fluid. How could it not? Being a model and not a description of reality. Self-actualisation is a really broad categorisation that can include things that to another person might look like "a life just lived" but has real import in reality.

Not OP so I can't say what is meant by "happiness" here, but maybe if you feel your life can serve a purpose other than your own pleasure/comfort you would be willing to experience less pleasure/comfort to achieve that goal. That's different than happiness, but maybe that's what he/she was getting at.