The One Hidden Mindset Keeping You From Your Best Life
Love your cat, not your cat’s kittens.
I used to think real-life satisfaction was always ahead of me. That I’m working towards a better life in the future. So, my present experiences were “preparation” for the real life I want. This mindset makes life feel like a “waiting room” for the main experience that blows your mind away.
But it’s a trap.
It’s called the “when-I-finally” mindset.
I used to think, “When I finally get a meaningful career, I’ll be happy,” “When I finally buy a house, I’ll feel secure,” andeverything will feel better when I finally book that dream trip. Well, I have done all those. I still felt like I was on a hamster wheel until I let go of the “when-I-finally ” mindset.
Life will continue to feel like a “waiting room” when you put all your hopes for a “good life” on future achievements. Milestones are not the key to life satisfaction. The moment you achieve what you want, another one will replace it. Fulfillment always remains just out of reach. We often overestimate the happiness future achievements will bring, which leads to a cycle of chasing unattainable satisfaction. The brain’s reward system can trap us in the “when-I-finally” mindset.