You Don’t Need Everything, But Never Stop Trying
We live in a world where people chase extremes. I recently saw an article titled How to Maximize Your Happiness. Then, that same day, I skimmed past a headline that read How to Get the Most Meaning Out of Life.
One article says you should focus on happiness while the other argues for meaning. But what if both are wrong? What if the entire philosophy behind those two articles is leading people astray?
How to Screw Up Your Life Without Realizing it
Everyone falls somewhere on the short-term/long-term thinking continuum. At one extreme, people live for today and today only. All their decisions solve one problem—how do I enjoy the present moment most? They drink like the prohibition’s coming. They smoke and eat fast food. They don’t save their money and spend it on lottery tickets. They ditch their friends when an opportunity to do something better arises.
At the other extreme are people who only care about the future—habitual long-term thinkers. They care so much about their future that they neglect the present. They don’t hear you because they’re in their own heads. They work extremely hard but ignore their families. They’re constantly stressed about work and their investments, so they frequently check emails and stock prices.
Extreme short-term thinkers ruin their lives because they ignore the future consequences of their actions. Their health deteriorates. Their relationships are destroyed. Their finances are in shambles.
Extreme long-term thinkers simply don’t enjoy life. They’re anxious. They hate doing things they love because it takes time away from being productive. They may be wealthier than short-term thinkers, but they neglect their health, families, and well-being. They can’t enjoy a single moment because they’re always worried about something else.
Although these are outliers, most people live suboptimally because they favor extremes instead of harmony. Some want happiness. Others seek meaning. But what if the answer is to strike a balance between the two?
The Real Way to Enjoy Life
Happiness is all about enjoying the present moment. When I’m drinking pina coladas on the beach with friends and family, I’m happy. But doing this every day wouldn’t be enjoyable. It’d lack meaning and self-growth.
On the other hand, building a successful business from scratch would give me purpose. Much of the work wouldn’t be fun, but I’d enjoy the result of building systems that improve lives and expand my family’s wealth. The work would be meaningful.
So, what are we to do?
Instead of chasing one or the other, seek a balance between happiness and meaning. Spend some time working for a better future and the rest enjoying the present moment. Progress toward your goals, but take time to ignore them too.
Be ambitious with your wealth, health, and relationships. Set out to build and create. But understand that goals take time. You need breaks. There’s no reason you shouldn’t enjoy life while conquering your goals.
Completion is a False God
“I’ll be happy when…”
If you ever utter these words, wake up. It’s a lie. We are born happy. You just need to appreciate and enjoy the present moment.
It doesn’t mean you won’t experience negative emotions. No one is happy all the time. But you can learn to make happiness your default state through gratitude, appreciating life, and taking care of yourself.
Too often, people think they need some big purchase or accomplishment to become happy. I’ll be so happy once I finally buy a house. I’ll be so much happier once I’m making 6-figures. I’ll be happy when I get a girlfriend.
Unfortunately for many, this isn’t true. They spend years being unhappy only to realize that hitting their goal doesn’t solve their problems. For one, happiness doesn’t come from external events. It comes from within. So no amount of good fortune will make you a happy person.
Second, you never finish your goals. When you accomplish one goal it’s replaced by another. Does that mean you now have to finish your new goal to be happy? Of course not.
You need long-term thinking to live a long, healthy, and enjoyable life. But you can’t ignore the present moment, otherwise, it’s all for nothing. What’s the point of making money if you can’t even enjoy it?
You don’t need everything to be happy either. You barely need anything. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t want more, or a different, better life. Just don’t make your happiness dependent on getting those things. And never, ever stop chasing your dreams.
Set important goals and go after them with everything you’ve got. Enjoy the journey by taking breaks and focusing on the present moment too.
If you want to live your best life, strike a balance between a happy and meaningful life. Always love the life you have while pursuing the life you want.
Originally published at https://robriker.com on June 19, 2020.
