John Maxwell says this: “Enjoyment is an incredible energizer to the human spirit.”
He is so right! And we all know he’s right. But so many people find it harder and harder to enjoy themselves as the years go by…
It’s especially true with building a business. There’s this idea lurking in the background: “If this is going to work, it will be insanely difficult. It’s going to hurt… it’s going to take forever… and there’s a strong chance I’ll fail completely. I hope I survive – then I’ll be able to enjoy myself.” Or something like that.
I think that’s crazy! Not only does that attitude rob you of the joy and contentment you could experience throughout the journey to your personal Promised Land…
It deprives you of a primary motivator that helps you get there in the first place – joy! Like Maxwell said, “Enjoyment is an incredible energizer to the human spirit.” You need that joy to get to your destination.
No doubt about – it’s better to enjoy the journey. And I’m here to help you do just that…
Joy Is Deep… Happiness Isn’t
Now stay with me here. I’m not against happiness! And the truth is, we can define these words all kinds of ways. Maybe what you mean by happiness is different from what I mean. It’s the concept that’s important.
I’m using “happiness” to refer to the temporary feeling of being… well, of being happy.
It’s a great thing. Who doesn’t want to be happy? The problem is that it’s fleeting. It lasts a few minutes or hours – and then it’s gone.
If you achieve a big win in your life, it’s very good to celebrate that victory, and to feel happy about it. Go ahead: pop that champagne bottle, share the moment with your friends! It’s just that, before you know it, the celebration is over… the feeling is gone… and you’re left feeling pretty empty. Unless you have something deeper to fall back on.
Like joy. And by joy, I mean things like taking pride in your work and accomplishments, contentment, an abiding sense of having done your best, the confidence that comes from being a master of your craft. It’s like a form of happiness that’s much deeper than mere feelings.
Which is good – that means you can experience joy… even when you’re not feeling particularly happy. Even when you’re dealing with multiple stresses on several fronts. The joy remains, on good days and bad.
Joy Enriches Everything You Do
It’s like I said earlier: joy is something you need in order to even get to your destination. It’s like a fuel. So thinking of it as some sort of side item, or a “that would be nice to have” add-on, completely misses the point. It’s vital to ambition, focus, persistence, and attaining anything worthwhile.
Look at it this way. Enjoyment comes from “en” – related to in or within – and “joy.” In other words, enjoyment is exactly the ability to experience joy (and again, that’s things like contentment, an abiding sense of having done your best, the confidence that comes from being a master of your craft)… while you’re engaged in the push and pull of life. It’s a way of bringing joy into the things you do.
The joy actually becomes a part of the process itself.
It becomes a kind of feedback loop – the more enjoyment you cultivate as you struggle and make progress, the more efficiently and effectively you’ll reach your goals and experience life’s blessings along the way. And the more that happens, the more you… enjoy it! Then the process continues…
Joy Is a Choice
This is the bottom line. You experience as much joy as you decide to experience. You enjoy your journey as much as you choose to enjoy it.
Here’s how it doesn’t work: “I’ll enjoy myself and my life when I reach my goals.”
Or “I’ll enjoy myself when I retire.” Or “When my kids are grown…” Or “When I get promoted…” Or “When I go on a diet…” Or when, or when, or when…
It ain’t gonna happen folks.
But here’s how it does work: “I’ll enjoy myself and my life… when I choose to enjoy myself and my life.”
It’s that simple.
Which is kind of wonderful, when you think about it. Because it means you don’t have to wait for some future state or accomplishment in order to enjoy yourself. You can begin right here, right now. Today.
Wrap Up: Joy Is Real Success
Here’s the thing: there’s no guarantee you’ll reach this or that goal. Things come up – economies tank, family emergencies happen, life has a way of throwing you curveballs. And some of them really hurt!
So that’s yet another reason to enjoy the whole process. Even if you have to give up a particular journey – maybe trade in one dream for another – you will have enjoyed that chapter of your life as much as you could. You’ll know all that work and effort wasn’t wasted – it was actually a vital part of your life story. It was a major investment in yourself that will absolutely pay off in the end.
Aren’t you glad you’re free to allow yourself to enjoy your success journey?
Listen, we’re here to make sure you’re on the best journey you can imagine – and we absolutely want you to enjoy it! So give us a call at (801) 990-5109 or schedule your free appointment here to build a personalized Wealth Plan. We’ll help you invest in real estate the right way… and do everything we can to make the whole process as satisfying as possible.
