The Main Idea
The main idea here is that rather than using happiness to motivate you forward, you use your vision of the future.
Let’s talk about why you don’t need to withhold your happiness, how to use your vision of the future as your motivator, and how to untangle the two.
Do You Hold Happiness Hostage?
Many people hold their Happiness hostage. They use their happiness as a carrot in front of their donkey – always holding it out of reach in an effort to make progress in their life. Sad. Yeah, sad is what you get when you don’t have happy. These people mistakenly believe that they cannot enjoy happiness now AND make progress.
But the truth is that you CAN enjoy happiness. It’s a choice. Just choose to allow yourself to enjoy unconditional happiness NOW. You don’t need to dangle it in front of you to motivate you.
So, what do you use for motivation? Your vision of the future.
Using Your Future As Your Carrot
You hold your vision out in front of you and focus on it. Not so you can have more happiness but progress for the sake of progress. You detach your happiness from being conditional on achieving your aims. As you reach and achieve elements of your vision or dream, you will change those and set further goals, so you will always have a, “carrot” in front of your proverbial donkey.
What’s A Vision
One of the many important principles I teach people is to get clear on where they want to go with their life. That is decide what it is they want to achieve. We call this their dream or their vision. An example of this is someone who has a vision of authoring and publishing a book. It’s something you want to do. So, we write it down together, so we are more clear on it and we use it. Learn more about what your vision is and how to capture it here.
How Do You Use Your Vision?
The most common use of your dream is to DRIVE YOU. It gives you something to AIM at. Your vision is what you think about when times get tough. It is what you are moving toward in your life. If you are not clear on this, or if you constantly change this target, likely you will not get there.
How? Your first step is to get clear on your vision. The best way to do this is to clearly write it down. Next, you review this often to keep it in your mind. When times get hard, you take a break and imagine yourself already being there. Dream. Tell yourself that this is where you are heading and where you will eventually end up.
By focusing on your vision of your dream for the future often enough, you increase your likelihood of achieving it. While there is no guarantee that you should or can achieve anything, you will move forward, AND you will enjoy the journey. As far as your happiness is concerned, it doesn’t matter the outcome of your vision. So, you can have your cake and eat it, too.
NOT a Condition For Happiness
Achieving You Vision Is NOT a Condition For Happiness. Happiness is a choice. You can and should just enjoy that now. It’s your prerogative and your privilege. Let yourself enjoy life and be happy now. Detach your happiness from your dreams.
Your dreams and your vision of them help make you full, they are a goal to happily strive for. Realizing your dreams will bring a sense of completeness, fulfillment, and progression. But when you get there, you will begin to dream of the next destination. Eternally getting better. Eternally progressing.
If you stake your happiness on reaching your destination, you have made it conditional on a goal that will always be moved forward. Your need for progression will put happiness out of reach. Whereas all that time it was your privilege to enjoy at any moment.
Detach your happiness from your dreams. You do not need the extra motivation. Give yourself happiness now. Your desire for progression will propel you to your dreams.
When drawing out your dreams, don’t ask yourself, “What will make me happy?” Rather ask yourself, “What do I really want? or What would fulfill me and make me whole? Satisfied? And bring me a sense of achievement?”
Conclusion
In conclusion, simply allow yourself to be happy all the time every day. Don’t withhold. You need motivation; however, and the best motivation is your vision of where you are headed.
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