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- Wanting less, and succeeding in getting it
'What do you want, Karla?'
She frowned in concentration, and shifted her gaze to stare directly into my eyes. It was an expression I came to know well, and it seemed to say, If you have to ask the question, you have no right to the answer.
'I want everything,' she replied with a faint, wry smile. 'You know, I said that once, to a friend of mine, and he told me that the real trick in life is to want nothing, and to succeed in getting it.'
I’ve been re-reading the book Shantaram, and found myself going back to this passage multiple times this week*. The timing of it is fitting; coinciding with the beginning of Lent, the Christian period of fasting, repentance, and spiritual discipline in the 40 days leading up to Easter.
I am guilty of continually wanting more out of life. Whilst I try to appreciate what I have, and have become better at this, this appreciation happens fleetingly in the moments of calm in the relentless pursuit of more.
This newsletter is one way which I try to inspire and support others to do the same, by documenting my thoughts, plans and actions, so perhaps by subscribing to this newsletter, you are also guilty of the same.
Whilst I personally believe that this is a healthy approach to life, we should be conscious of the risk of succumbing to the hedonic treadmill.
The hedonic treadmill
The hedonic treadmill is a concept in psychology that refers to the tendency we have to continually adapt to changes in our circumstances or environment that affect our happiness or well-being.
When we achieve a positive change in our lives, such as an increase in our salary or an improvement in our living conditions, we initially experience a boost in happiness. However, over time these positive effects tend to subside as we become accustomed to these new circumstances, and begin to take them for granted.
As a result, we may feel a need to continually strive for bigger and better in order to maintain our overall level of well-being. Anything less than that can lead to significant dissatisfaction with life.
Therefore this week there is no productivity tips or suggestions, just a request to re-read the above quote and really reflect on it.
Implementation idea
Take some time out this week to appreciate the things in your life you already have.
Best, Alex Joshi.
*Turning off screens and reading fiction before bed is one part of the routine I’ve been following to dramatically improve my sleep, which I outlined recently here.
On my bedside table:
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