The Journey not the Outcome

    

"Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a method of traveling."

                                                                        Margaret Runbeck

     We all have the desire to be happy.  It is the underlying essence of every human being.  The moral of this quote is not to hang your happiness on an outcome.  Hanging your happiness on a certain outcome will actually have a negative impact on the amount of happiness you ultimately achieve.  The best way to maximize your happiness is to decide to be happy along the entire journey not just when you achieve the outcome.   

    When you make the statement I will be happy when (pick any outcome) you put a stipulation on your happiness.  You are basically telling yourself something needs to occur for you to be happy.  Your mind is obedient and will follow instructions.  Either consciously or subconsciously you will not be as happy because that outcome has not yet occurred.

     When the outcome does finally occur you may feel a flash of happiness but it won’t last.  It won’t last because you will now just look for that next outcome to make you happy.  This is because you have conditioned yourself that happiness is tied to outcomes.  Once you achieve an outcome you will essentially start the cycle all over again because you will automatically start looking for the next outcome.

     This is not to say you shouldn’t set goals.  You will and should set goals. It is a part of life.  However, the next time you set a goal don’t tie it to your happiness.  Instead of hanging your happiness on an achieving that goal train yourself to be happy along the entire journey to reaching the goal.  Enjoy the entire journey no matter how bumpy it may or may not get.  Be happy that you even have the opportunity to travel the journey.  Open your eyes and see every aspect of life and how wonderful it is. 

     For example, you may be broke and have the goal to get out of debt.  Instead of waiting to get out of debt, be happy that you live in a country with so many ways to get out of debt.  You may be sick and in pain, be happy you have access to some of the best doctors in the world.  You may make a mistake that delays a project or embarrasses you or your boss.  Be happy you have the opportunity to shine on your next project or job if you get fired.  I know this sounds pie in the sky but it isn’t.  You have total command over your happiness and there is nothing blocking it but you.  No outside circumstance can stop you.

    We go through life trying to maximize so many things we’ve placed importance on.  We try to get the most sleep, the most bang for our buck, the biggest salary, the best vacations, the biggest house, the best relationships.   Why aren’t you maximizing your happiness when it is the most important of all?  All you have to do is decide to be happy along the entire journey and stop tying your happiness to an outcome.  This is the best way to maximize and achieve the ultimate goal of happiness.  As always my wish for you is to enjoy the journey!

Have a great week

Drew