Being Content with the Now

I was thinking that perhaps much of what causes us to make bad decisions is our inability to be content with the now. We want the new shiny thing. This is often material possessions, but could also be a new job, new friendships, new project to work on or maybe a new daily routine.

I believe that we can prevent a lot of our bad decisions by finding ways to be content with the now. To reflect on what you do have. I believe that people who have been successful in much of their life have found ways to be content with the now.

Some people have been successful precisely because they are constantly discontent and they keep finding new things until they get lucky, but this is a naive approach that frankly requires a lot of luck and is not feasible for everyone. Most people will fail with this approach, and even if they seem like they are succeeded, I wouldn’t be surprised if they are really just unhappy overall.

We want something different then we have because we forget the reasons for why we got to where we are. I have a cheaper vehicle with no loan not because I didn’t want a new, fancy one, but because I value treating a vehicle as a tool and spending money in other way, or better yet saving.

What can we do to combat this discontentment? Take stock in what you do have that love and enjoy. Feeling an itch to by that new iPhone? Remember that the one you have works great and that you value having saved money then feeling that excitement of a new one. Want to change your job because your board? Remember that it’s very likely that the stability of your current job means you can do more of what you like otherwise.

This discontentment has its purpose. Change is inevitable and good. In both the examples, it very well could be that your current phone is horribly slow, or that your current job is hopelessly gone stagnant. Those are times to take actions. But how do you know when the scale has tipped the other way? Focusing on what you value. You value having a phone that is enjoyable to use and is useful. You value growth and want to progress in your career.

Knowing when the scales tip the other way is hard, and it’s likely you think it’s tipped well before it really has. This feeling of excitement for the new things can make you think it’s time or worse yet, make you ignore whether or not it’s time.

When you’re contemplating any decisions that significantly impact your life, take time to really question your feelings and ask, is it just that I’m not content with the now? I would image most people will have better, happier lives by making it a conscious effort to be content with the now a little more often.