[Darryl_P]

If you define it in a way that's close to "exhilaration", ie. a momentary "up" feeling, then I'd say it's pointless to chase after such a thing because we are made to have downs to compensate for the ups and in the end it's a wash. Maybe you could maximize overall "up"-ness by taking the downs first. For example, doing exercise is not pleasant while you're doing it but pleasurable afterwards, and that's an overall up. Drugs, alcohol, and overeating are all ups firsts, downs later, and overall downs. Even good sex requires a lot of "work" first (ie. courtship, foreplay, etc.). The easy methods (hookers, masturbation, etc.) are never as good.

But if you define hapiness more like "overall contentness" which doesn't manifest itself in constant smiley faces but rather a sort of internal balance and peace, then yes I think it's both achievable and worth striving for.