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There is a wonderful quote by Napoleon Bonaparte that I so often find myself returning to during times of stress or confusion: “The reason most people fail instead of succeed is [because] they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment.”
We’re constantly finding new things to want, whether that involves a tangible object or a personal experience. It is so incredibly tempting when we see all of those travel photos on Instagram, for instance, to think that we don’t have enough going on in our own lives — and so, inevitably, we try to attain those same things.
Whenever I hear those words of his, though, it immediately becomes clear to me what I have to do. Right away, I’m able to push aside all of the things that have been distracting me and return to the core of what it is that I’m trying to attain. I stop chasing all of the relationships that aren’t positively contributing to my life, and I stop spending my time on the things and experiences which do little to make me feel good about myself.
When I really stop to consider just how much of what I’ve been doing contributes to what I want most in life, I realize that I’m able to trim away so much of what has been bringing me down. And whenever I do, the effect is clear: where I was once confused, anxious, and insecure, I quickly transition back to being confident, calm, and secure.
Jana Marie is a Croatian-born writer living amidst the restorative embrace of the Canadian Prairies.
Through her writing, she examines the interplay between self and society as she works to both illuminate and explore the power of contemplative thinking. Her recently completed two-year project, 100 Mindful Days, which combines teachings from the worlds of personal development, self-care, and wellness, will soon be her first book.
If you’d like to hear from her more often, you can subscribe to her newsletter here.
