It's actually quite simple. Only do things you really want to do and try to do it well. Be nice to others and be nice to yourself.
Don't waste time reading stuff which is boring but... "stay hungry... stay foolish"
I doubt many of us know what it's like to be dead but to think its Zen is actually a nice thought.
Contentedness and happiness are very different things. The former comes from the inside. It is a sense of satisfaction and peace. The latter comes from the outside. It's a sense of elation and joy.
The reason your post presents a false dichotomy is that it is possible to be both content and happy. In fact, people should strive for a balance of both. Being content should not get in the way of attaining happiness, or vice versa.
As in the old quote - "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
We all have ethical responsibilities that require doing things that we don't want to do.
> Don't waste time reading stuff which is boring but... "stay hungry... stay foolish"
this!