You Are Allowed to Be Happy and Still Strive for More
Yesterday I was writing a new article when I received a very profound question from Brenda. In response to my article about “being happy in the moment”, she asked, “If we should be content and happy with our life’s lot, why bother setting any goals for a better life?”Great question! Indeed, if you are already happy with what you have, why strive for more?
Here is how I see it. Right now I am sitting on the balcony with my laptop, enjoying the morning sun on my face and listening to the birds sing. The sweet peas and hyacinths that I planted two weeks ago have finally started sprouting and you can already see the first two leaves (which makes me very excited, because it is a first time I have planted anything).
As you can see things are going pretty good. I am the happiest I can be. But it does not mean that I should not want to improve myself and my life.
For me achievements and happiness are not mutually exclusive concepts, but rather complementary. Answering your question, Brenda, I believe that we should have goals and strive to achieve them, because goals are what keeps us moving forward and gives direction to our life. But as we do it, we should not forget to enjoy and appreciate what we have already been given. For me goals are “preferences”, not “absolute musts”.
If I was asked which ice-cream flavor I like I would say “white chocolate.” But it does not mean that if I was given strawberry flavor I would feel cheated, dissatisfied and upset. That I would demonstratively throw it away, tell my friends how unhappy I was and bear a grudge against the person who gave it to me. I would say “thank you!” and enjoy it just as much.
It is very similar with goals. If you prefer to live in a four-bedroom house, you should voice your desire to the Universe and work towards this goal. But if for now you can only afford a two-bedroom apartment, it does not mean that you should feel disappointed and unhappy with your own life.
Because the house or any other goal has nothing to do with you being happy or being miserable. Happiness is a state of mind, not a state of your affairs or your relationship status.
It is important to set goals and have a strong desire to achieve them, but it is dangerous and even unhealthy to get too attached to them.
I have noticed that people, who are happy and grateful for what they are, seem to achieve a lot more than those who feel under-loved, under-appreciated and under-given.
There are some goal-setting books that talk about the importance of making sacrifices, facing hardship and overcoming multiple struggles to accomplish anything worth-while in life. I do not want to claim that it is not true, but for me it has always been the opposite. I achieve the most when I do what I love, enjoy what I have and do not feel disheartened when something does not go according to my plan.
When you are happy, you automatically think positive thoughts, feel enthusiastic and full of energy to accomplish whatever you have set your mind on. On the other hand, the second your happiness and well-being start to depend on whether or not you achieve your next goal, this is the second when you become demotivated and demorilized. Because if you live in a state of lack, you project this into the outer world and it becomes your reality.
Being happy with what you have and working towards getting what you want do not have to be opposites. It is the way we should feel every second of our life.
It is just my personal point of view. I would love to know what YOU think.
Is it possible to be satisfied and ambitious at the same time?
Tags: achieve goals easier, achieving true happiness, being happy and ambitious, develop gratitude attitude, Goal Setting, strive for more
