It is not a secret at all. We’ve heard it several times, but we have a hard time believing it. Those that are successful, wealthy, and seem to have it all will tell you a different story. They will tell you it isn’t all that it was cracked up to be. They will tell us that it doesn’t make you any happier.
They totally give up the secret. Yet we don’t take it to heart. For some reason, we think it would be different for us. We think that we can and would be happy with more money and success.
So the real secret here is to believe it and not cast the idea aside.
Remember when you were a kid, and you were eyeballing a cool toy at the store (one you would eventually get)? Really try and be in that moment, where you really, really, coveted that toy. Somewhere in your mind you believed it would bring you a lot of happiness.
I recall the original, brief moments of joy. Of actually having the toy!! I remember opening it up, going through any kind of necessary setup, and then playing with it for a while. Oh, what joy!
Not much time would pass before a small feeling of disappointment would set in. The toy was no longer doing its job and making me happy. I wonder where that toy is now. It certainly isn’t doing its job today.
Such is life.
There is happy place for you, and it is most likely right where you are.
Hedonic treadmill, baby. I’m deep into Barry Schwartz’s *The Paradox of Choice*, and he’s addressing this very issue.
LikeLike
The Paradox of Choice sounds interesting. It may have to end up on my reading list.
LikeLike