🟢 Christmas morning vs evening
Getting off the hedonic treadmill
(1.5 min read)
As a kid, were you happier when you woke up Christmas morning… or later, after everyone had opened their gifts and enjoyed your various traditions?
Actually, let’s replace the word “happier”.
I avoid it since it’s too vague.
Let’s look at more precise feelings like:
feeling excited 🤩
feeling at peace 🧘
feeling focused 🧐
You almost definitely felt more excited before the Christmas festivities.
(Other emotions could go either way.)
Anticipation is powerful.
Similarly, people are more cheerful on the way to vacation than on the way back.
That’s why, in many cases, it’s not a good idea to plan a surprise trip for someone.
Or a surprise party.
A big part of their enjoyment of the event usually comes before the event even happens.
You wouldn’t want to rob them of that.
Plan together!
Talk about it.
Savor it before it even happens.
In marketing, they say “Sell the destination, not the plane ticket.”
That’s good advice. For marketers.
But for you, living your life, you’ll want to:
Find a way to enjoy yourself not just when you arrive but also enjoy yourself along the way.
Too often we’re caught in a mindset that exiles our satisfaction to the future:
“I’ll celebrate once I’ve [achieved ______]”.
“I’ll relax once [some circumstance is true].”
That’s why people recommend “Stop to smell the roses.”
And “Enjoy the journey.”
Infinite game
The antidote is simple (but not easy).
Enjoy trying to create the life you want.
Otherwise you’re scheduling your wins to only happen in the future.
You’re continually moving the goalposts further away from you.
This is the hedonic treadmill.
All or nothing thinking.
If you can recognize progress…
If you can relish learning and trying…
Especially if you can cherish the struggle itself…
Life transforms into a series of enriching experiences rather than a relentless pursuit of elusive milestones.
You’ll be present.
You’ll be alive.
You’re evolving, growing.
Finding joy in your actions themselves rather than their results.
If you can focus on your present effort rather than the future outcome, you unlock new levels of fulfillment.
What you actually want
Rich experiences.
Deep relationships.
Peace.
It’s all within your grasp now.
And only now.
Don’t trick yourself into thinking “if only”.
🕙 What we learned in recent posts:
🟢 The Misunderstood but Powerful Tool: Comparative Advantage (with free calculator)
🟢 The 1 thing you must sacrifice to get what you want
