I think the more one is filled with themself (egotistical) the harder it is to attain a sense of happiness. Do you feel this is true ?

Happiness = 1/Ego ?

Absolutely agree.

Probably not. if we take an egocentric person and an altruistic one we can safely put that both can attain a feeling of happiness. How that feeling is aquired differs in dramatic fashion: the egocentric one by gaining as much as possible while the altruistic person will find pleasure in giving away as much as possible (this is an exaggeration of course but you get the idea). We all like to believe that egocentric persons are less happy, this is however not always true.

                  Do you fell like a Ghost of what you used to be ??

But when u look at some of these CEO's and top bizness people, they seem happy and yet big egotists....or is all their pomposity just a facade and that they secretly aren't at all ?

I feel happier now, now that I've tried making decisions standing aside myself and not being centric - but maybe that just comes w/ age....IDK. 

And to you Ronald, Of corpse I do !....But, I am a bit jealous of some of the older ghosts who have attained polylocation....But there again, I guess that just comes w/ age........

“The happy man only feels at ease because the unhappy bear their burden in silence. Without this silence, happiness would be impossible.” ― Anton Chekhov

a beauty of a quote

I always liked this one as well by Tolstoy:

I sit on a man's back, choking him and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by all possible means - except by getting off his back.

Leo Tolstoy

Happiness depends on preferences, if you are a materialist you will be happy with sheer capital. However if making others happy, is what makes you happy then by all means pursue that goal an be happy. One can be happy and yet be the biggest douche one has ever seen. Happiness is different for everyone and the way to attain it will be one of the eternal questions of life.

not true

(ruben72d) One can be happy and yet be the biggest douche one has ever seen.....IDK about that....I think if you know you're being a "d****e" (interesting choice of word BTW) and you decide 2b1 anyway - well, that'll probably affect your happiness later, if not sooner. People will give you trouble 'cuz you're inviting it. But, if you don't really know or understand ? Well then, maybe your happiness factor won't be as affected....and then you're right.    

This looked interesting when I picked it up from the bookshelf sometime ago:

http://www.amazon.com/Perpetual-Euphoria-On-Duty-Happy/dp/0691143730

Even if an egotistical person attains happiness temporarily, he/she will at some point start aging, getting slow, less intelligent, less hip etc...and then find it very hard to adapt to the new circumstances.

Yeah, I've heard people say the most humbling of all life experiences is death....So, if you can become a ghost ?....do it !........

I'd argue that you probably have your cause and effect backwards here.

I think it's generally accepted that the quickest way to happiness is through a mixture of wilful ignorance and mind-bending drugs. Of course, I would never encourage people to be ignorant.

I've never believed 4a 2nd that someone actually dies happy. You're dying for gawd sakes (literally)....that is unless you're committing suicide.

And something else I just thought of....death is the greatest of ='izerz. You can't take anything that represents your ego w/ u (well, except for some bling bling or a gold grille).

                     Cycles my dear, Cycles.     Many people die happy. They had a good childhood, a good marriage, a good life and the're moving on to greener pastures. Yes its scary but, move towards the light.

"Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."  Honest Abe

We're each the architects of our own happiness, just don't expect true happiness not to take hard work to achieve. This is why effortless facsimiles, like egoism, have such broad appeal.