If you are like me, or how I used to be rather, sometimes you get trapped in the cycle of dissatisfaction. It’s the cycle perfectionists and overachievers fall into on a regular basis.
Essentially, we look at a business metric and we want to improve it. Let’s say we want to grow our email list from 10,000 people to 50,000 people. As soon as we make a commitment, as soon as we align our minds around a business goal, we think that “once we arrive” we will be happy. But we are wrong. Because you see, we will arrive at the 50,000 individuals on our email list. That’s what we do, we figure out how to achieve a goal and we achieve it. But where we get it wrong is by thinking that destination is what will make us happy. Because will we be happy when hitting 50,000 people on an email list? Absolutely. Until the following day. And then you are dissatisfied and you have to establish another goal.
You are chasing happiness.
You know you hear people say, “if only I could get married, I would be happy.” But we know that the wedding day isn’t the day of happiness, it is the life spent with the one you love, every single day, that is happiness. The journey, not the day, is what makes you happy.
Or, when someone says “if only I could have a child I would be happy.” But the day of your child’s birth isn’t the single point of happiness. Raising your child, watching them grow up to be an amazing person, creating those memories, that is happiness.
When we put it into those terms, we understand that. We know that one day in time isn’t what happiness is about. It is about the events leading up to the day, the day itself, and the days after. It’s the entire experience that creates your happiness. If we can acknowledge this about every other part of our lives, why can’t we put our business goals in the same terms?
Yes, we need goals, targets, deadlines, milestones, and KPIs. That will not change. We will continue to strive towards them. But what we must do is allow ourselves to experience the journey. Instead of seeing the goal as the point of happiness, realize that the journey and the results thereafter are your happiness; your Legendary Life.
When you have 50,000 people on your list, instead of the goal being your happiness, realize how much impact you are going to have on 50,000 people! Realize what you will learn from 50,000 people; things they need and want that only you can provide.
How can you pull yourself out of the cycle of dissatisfaction and realize the journey and the time thereafter is happiness? Think through that today.
Be Legendary!