A large body of research on human
motivation and life satisfaction demonstrates that our happiness depends almost
exclusively on the gradual success we achieve routinely on a daily or regular
basis. And when you consider that big achievements are sporadic, infrequent and
short-lived, this is hardly surprising.
It is not uncommon to hear people
who have been struggling to reach an important goal complain, “So much work for
such a brief moment of satisfaction!” Such people have neglected the joy that followed
each small accomplishment leading to their ultimate success.
Many people make the mistake of
believing that happiness resides behind the next goal, “Once I achieve that, I
will be able to relax and enjoy myself,” – which is basically no different to
believing that you can live happily ever after.
But in reality there is no such
thing as living, “Happily ever after.” Life always ensures that we are
constantly busy, attending to situations of various degree of difficulty.
Evolution simply rejects the concept of forever, and if you believe you can
live a trouble-free life, you are not only fooling yourself but also avoiding
growth and progress. Only those who cease to exist can cease to have
difficulties.
Living is synonymous with
learning to deal with circumstances, but by dealing with them with ease we can
live a happy life.
A primary strategy in achieving
this is to obtain pleasure at each stage of your journey towards success;
otherwise your life is bound to be full of problems, with only sporadic moments
of satisfaction. You can choose to ignore small moments of joy and miss out on
this constant supply of mundane happiness – or you can cherish each minor
success and reap the psychological benefits.
More importantly, the small
successes that we achieve routinely are the best guarantee that we will
accomplish our larger goals. As an example, consider the training regime of a
long-distance runner, which may include activities to build cardio-resistance,
breathing capacity, muscle-tone, etc. Without such a routine, the runner’s chances
of excelling would inevitably be diminished, whereas if they adhere to regular
training, their chances of winning will increase. And here is where
step-by-step satisfaction can make a definite difference: if the athlete
interprets their routine training as nothing but tedious, laborious work, this
will negatively affect their motivation and stamina. Conversely, if they choose
to focus on the partial gains each step delivers, and reward their effort after
each step by acknowledging the gains and enjoying the progress, this will be a powerful
motivating force and ensure that performance is optimized.
This feeling of reward is
somewhat similar to the reinforcement you may have received from your parents
as a child about your school performance. Some parents are never satisfied with
their children’s school marks and never praise them for their efforts; as a
result their children lose motivation and perform below their potential.
Conversely, children who receive
appropriate, regular praise tend to be more satisfied with their studies and
improve their performance; they also develop more self-confidence, better
self-esteem, and are generally happier and more successful.
Little steps lead to big
successes, but it is vital that the steps are recognized as successes in
themselves, for without proper recognition and reinforcement, our daily tasks
can become a burden and counterproductive. Nothing decreases motivation more
than lack of recognition, and nothing is more discouraging than feeling that
our actions are pointless; life satisfaction is increased by completing small
tasks and feeling rewarded for these efforts.
Your job is to identify the
relevant tasks (or routines) that will lead you to your objectives, and then
simply complete these tasks, giving yourself recognition along the way. Do not
underestimate this strategy because of its apparent simplicity: this
unpretentious method can make a substantial difference in achieving highly
important goals – including major financial goals and better relationships,
health, and performance. A little action, every day, leads to enormous achievements.
This is known as Step Achievement. A single ant’s work is minute and negligible, but a whole colony, working routinely on a daily basis, can build structures that are proportionally equivalent to a 1000 meter skyscraper.
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