He suggests to “treat, not happiness, but some end external to it” meaning to find something that looks almost like happiness to “exhaust themselves”. After being tired of achieving what they think is “happiness” they give up and will be satisfied what they think is not happiness. Making you less aware of your happiness and more acceptant of any kind of happiness without the stress or work towards it. For example like a job should feel like work and stress, but to you it feels fun and exciting without you realising that your job.
However, how are you happy without knowing you are happy? If the pursuit of happiness is not real then what do you do with your life? Everyone who thought happiness was a good thing, but it only betrayed you. Why are people searching for the meaning of happiness it is like asking what is the meaning of life, but there is no answer, so what is the point of living? Also when you accept your happiness then what do you do now doesn’t that defeat the purpose of living and you would just be satisfied with