Coffee Thoughts
I used to think that I would be happy once I reached my goals.
After I finish grad school…
After I publish a paper…
After I get married…
After I get a high-paying job in data science…
Then I’d be happy. So it doesn’t matter if I’m unhappy now.
We often hear about the value of perseverance. We hear that satisfaction would only come after achieving your goal. “Keep your eyes on the prize. Nothing else matters.”
Then you’ve got the the other side of the pendulum. There are people who talk about the importance of enjoying the present. “You already have everything you need to be happy. And that’s enough.”
For a long time, I oscillated between two schools of thought.
But now, I want both. Maybe you’d like the same.
I want to enjoy myself right now, but I also want to get better at what I do. I’d rather not suffer through sweat and blood to hit the milestones, but I also want to keep growing. I want to be happy while taking the steps towards a better future.
But can the two states coexist?
Let’s consider the following situation: you’re going on vacation. You anticipate a pleasant stay at your holiday destination. It’s a place you always wanted to visit.
But there are plenty of things to do ahead of time. There are tickets to book, an itinerary to plan, and luggage to pack. There’s also the actual process of travelling, whether it’s by car or by plane.
So, how do you enjoy the destination itself and everything that leads up to it?
By learning to love the process.
When you embrace the process of preparing for your trip, you can find satisfaction before you even get to your destination.
If you fall in love with the task of researching the sights to visit, then you’ll be happy now and when you get there. If you learn to enjoy folding your clothes as you pack a suitcase, then you’ll be happy now and when you get there. If you can admire the scenery you pass on the way, then you’ll be happy now and when you get there.
By loving the necessary steps to get to your destination—to reach your goal—you can find happiness both in the present and future.
Guided Introspection
Some things come naturally to us.
While we do them, we lose track of time. After we’ve done them, we feel a deep sense of satisfaction. So we keep coming back to them again and again.
What is something that you can’t get tired of doing?
This could be the thing that can bring you happiness in the present.
Take it easy,
Anna Foucault