If your past achievements didn't make you meaningfully happier, don't expect your future achievements to make you happier.
Remember that thing you so badly wanted? If getting it didn't meaningfully change your long-term happiness, then you shouldn't expect the thing you want right now to change your long-term happiness either.
You are roughly as happy as you decide to be today. And some day, years from now, after you accomplish the thing you've been striving for, you'll have to decide to be happy on that day too.
American author and speaker
James Clear (born 1986) is an American writer and public speaker known for Self-improvement.
From: Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The best type of risks to take are ones where
(1) the worst outcome is manageable and
(2) the best outcome is life-changing.
Think: Asking someone on a date. Or, investing an amount of money you can afford to lose into a business with high upside.
Look for opportunities where it won't kill you if it goes poorly, but you'd be blown away if it goes well.
You have to run your own race. Problems begin the moment you start comparing your results to someone who is playing under different conditions.
• The 40-year-old entrepreneur with three kids has different constraints than the single 27-year-old.
• A painter with 20 years of practice shouldn't be the benchmark for someone in year two.
• Someone caring for aging parents is not in the same position as someone with no obligations outside work.
Play your own game. Emphasize gradual progress and keep the comparison internal. Are you getting a little better today?
One way to instantly gain a competitive edge is to work on things that genuinely interest you. The person who is having fun has a better chance of winning because they are more likely to stick with it when things get challenging.
If it felt like a hassle from the start, you're likely to quit as soon as things get tough. But if you've been having fun the whole time, you're better positioned to work through the hard parts.
Brainstorm some answers to these questions:
• Which activity makes you the most money per minute?
• Which activity delivers the most excitement per minute?
• Which activity creates the most connection per minute?
• Which activity provides you the most laughter per minute?
And which activity is the best blend?
Something I try to remind myself:
• The strong mind finds a way to stay steady … even when plans fall apart.
• The strong body finds a way to train … even when the day doesn’t go your way.
• The strong relationship finds a way to reconnect … even when things get rough.
In a sense, what matters most is how you respond on the bad days, not the good ones.
• Anyone can smile when life goes smoothly.
• Anyone can train when they feel great.
• Anyone can be kind when the relationship is easy.
It's how you act when the situation isn't optimal that makes the difference.
Many of the best things in life are endless.
Being in a great relationship. Staying fit and healthy. Doing work that fulfills you. Being a good parent, coach, or teacher.
Stop worrying about accomplishing these things and instead focus on building a life where you continually practice them.
The important stuff has no finish line.