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"Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment. Full effort is full victory."

India's Mohandas Gandhi penned those words. A deeply spiritual man who transformed his life and the life of his nation, Gandhi was a practitioner of the philosophy that earnest effort is the source of happiness.

In our attainment-laden, ambition-driven society, many Americans live the illusionary philosophy that personal triumph means to stand on the peak of a great accomplishment and say, "Now, I am now complete. Now, I can be happy."

We close our eyes to happiness when we live such a life philosophy.

Happiness is not found by resting in yesterday's attainment; it is discovered in the progressive doing. Perennial words of wisdom reveal these truths:

"We are happy when we are growing."

- William Butler Yeats.

"The soul's joy lies in doing."

- Percy Bysshe Shelley

"A mind always employed is always happy. This is the true secret, the grand recipe, for felicity."

- Thomas Jefferson

"Action itself, so long as I am convinced that it is right action, gives me satisfaction."

- Jawaharlal Nehru

Parents and grandparents, teachers and coaches who are seeking to shape the lives of America's kids to become kids of character can do much to support the moral and ethical growth of a child by modeling and communicating that happiness is an evolving and unfolding journey in which we find joy in moving, looking, seeing, growing, stumbling, trying, and practicing.

Moments of character triumph. when a child experiences the positive results of self discipline; finds reward in caring for another; or discovers the power of moral courage in facing a failure.

These character milestones are potential steps to a lifetime of happiness that is understood as the problem-solving that Maxwell Maltz described when he wrote, "We find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles to conquer and goals to achieve."