You Got the Promotion… So Why Are You Still Unhappy?

You recently received a promotion that included a new car, specifically the Toyota Prado.

And the best part?

It also comes with the big raise you’ve been praying for.

You’re so excited that you call your wife to break the good news to her.

Sadly, after two weeks, the excitement starts to wear off as you settle into your new role.

So, now what’s next?

I mean, you’ve finally crossed the finish line, right?

However, you find yourself back at the beginning.

The Cycle of Longing

So, you start devising another plan.

This time you might set a bigger goal to achieve, which is, in fact, a good thing.

The question now is: Will you return to your previous state of misery a few weeks or months after achieving this new goal?

It kind of feels like this never-ending cycle of longing for things, and then when you get them, it’s like something is still missing.

You might feel this way because you fail to understand that the true fun lies in "the process."

You need to reverse engineer how you view your goals and aspirations.

My First Taste of Achievement

I remember back in 2007, a few months after my 20th birthday.

I finally bought my first car, and the feeling was so surreal when I drove it out of the car dealership.

It was a sky blue 1996 Honda Accord, and I was ecstatic when I got it.

I had been longing for years to own a vehicle, one that I bought with my own money.

I could drive it anytime I wanted without having to seek permission from anyone.

It felt as though I was finally on my own and that nothing could go wrong.

The Double-Edged Sword of Desire

I was finding every excuse in the world to be out and about town.

I enjoyed spending time with girls, friends, and acquaintances.

This implied that I was neglecting my studies and frequently skipped classes.

It was ironic that the very thing I yearned for turned into a significant distraction in my life.

And as you would have guessed, it reflected heavily in my academic performance.

It’s safe to say the finish line that I so badly wanted wasn’t all I expected it to be.

Chasing a Future That Didn’t Exist

I delayed my happiness in order to purchase a car, only to lose my purpose and direction in the process.

Fortunately for me, it resulted in a move to Canada to pursue my bachelor's degree once more.

Even when I arrived in Canada, I found myself living in anticipation of the day when I would graduate and start earning a substantial income.

Just then and only then will everything be great.

I wasted precious months and years longing for a future of excitement that might only last a few months at best.

The Unpredictable Nature of Life

Fortunately, I did graduate, but to what?

A bleak future in oil and gas, one that was far from expectations?

All those years of dreaming about starting my career at Cenovus Energy Inc. in Alberta, Canada, and earning $80k a year came to an end when President Obama started hydraulic fracking in December 2014.

This single move nearly led to the collapse of OPEC and severely damaged the Canadian oil market.

The recent U-turn by American liberals is shocking, but that's a topic for another discussion.

The same liberals are now discussing clean energy and climate change.

Give me a break!

Thank God President-elect Trump will assume office soon.

Anyway, I digress...

Live in the Moment

The truth is, you’re not clairvoyant, and neither am I.

We can’t predict what’s going to happen in the next two minutes with perfect accuracy.

God did not give us such powers.

Therefore, the only thing we truly control is the present moment.

Shout out to Eckhart Tolle for the book, The Power of Now.

Eckhart stresses the point that you have to live in the present.

Why Staying Present Matters

After all, it is the things you do right now that will determine your future.

This implies that if you remain in the present and take the correct actions now, you can largely shape your future.

Instead of longing, hoping, praying, wishing, dreaming, and postponing your happiness until a future time when you achieve a certain milestone, choose to savor every moment now.

Choose to be present now.

Nobody can guarantee or promise tomorrow.

So, choose to live a wonderful life now.

Your life should be so interesting that achieving goals feels like an added bonus.

It shouldn't be a significant moment where you achieve a certain high only to find yourself depressed a few weeks later.

Enjoy the Process, Not Just the Result

Take Elon Musk, for instance; another $100 billion added to his net worth doesn’t change much.

He is still the goofy Elon Musk who might smoke weed again on Joe Rogan’s podcast.

Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t have dreams or hopes for a better future.

After all, who am I to take that away from you?

I’m just here to encourage you to take full advantage of the beautiful life that you have now.

Don’t Postpone Happiness

I’m asking you to not postpone your happiness until you cross some finish line, whatever that may look like for you.

I’m asking you to spend quality time with your family because they love and care for you.

They don’t need you to have a billion dollars for them to love you.

Enjoy the process as well, as you will undoubtedly miss it once you cross the finish line.

Why the Process Is Everything

Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian with 28 gold medals, still misses the good old days preparing for the Olympics.

I've watched interviews where the late Kobe Bryant talked about missing his time practicing jump shots in the gym.

And what do all sports winners say right after taking gold?

“We’ll enjoy this win for a while, spend time with family, and then be right back at it again.”

Why?

Because you spend more time in the process than you do when crossing the finish line.

Crossing the finish line is a fleeting moment.

Stay Present, Stay Focused

I don’t know what your current hopes or dreams are, but I do know one thing: your chances of achieving your goals and more are higher if you choose to focus on now and the things that are in your control.

So, stay present and stay focused.

Your future is all but guaranteed.

This is Christopher Njokanma, signing off.

Every week, I stay committed to providing value for you. Remember, my daring reader, to Like, Comment, and Share this article, for it might be the boost someone needs to start living in the moment. Stay tuned for more awe-inspiring insights and discoveries in the captivating world of unconventional success.

Christopher is the President @ Cloud 98 - We power your brand's growth by harmonizing content and conversion.