Long term satisfaction is more important than happiness. Happiness is irrelevant. Most people are alternately happy and unhappy many times a day, mostly about things they have no control over.
[rant]
Damn Jefferson and his melding! ". . ., pursuit of happiness." Pftt! He should have just left it at "property"; at least that's something you can measure. Now everyone thinks they have the right to be "happy" all the time. (Bring in the drugs!) Of course, half the problem arises because of poor reading comprehension. (You have the right to pursue happiness , not be happy!) Most people today pursue happiness through property anyway, and anyone who thinks this is new is fooling themselves.
[/rant]