18/30 – Describe a time in which you expected or wanted to feel amazing, but couldn’t:
This happens each and every time I have accomplished anything. Not that I’m never proud of myself, and not that the sense of accomplishment isn’t awesome…but it is a consistent reminder that we simply have to be happy with the present moment.
There was a time in my life–when things weren’t going too well–where the thought of having $1000 in my bank account would be the equivalent of me being rich. It would’ve solved all my problems, relieved all my financial stress, and provided me the comfort and confidence necessary to focus on all the others things around my life.
Once I got my shit (relatively) together, I eventually got $1000. It felt euphoric…for about 10 minutes. Once the feeling wore off, I found myself craving $2000 with the same vigor as my original want. Eventually, I got $2000. The goal post kept moving. I would get used to what I had and would naturally want more.
Setting goals for oneself is vital. There should be something worth moving toward, even if you never actually touch it. But not because our worth is tied up in what we accomplish. The reason we set out to accomplish things (in my opinion) should be to constantly prove to ourselves that we can.
I don’t pursue anything for the sake of showing off what I’ve achieved or to get assurance that I’m worth something. I’ve learned to love setting out to do things I don’t think I can do. It expands your comfort zone. At the risk of sounding self-helpy, it literally widens the scope of things you think are possible.
Don’t pursue something just to have it. Pursue something so you can learn and make mistakes and grow as a person…