Contentment vs. Progress
Do you ever feel guilty that you want MORE when you “should” be content with what you have? Or maybe you feel like you “should” be making more progress than you currently are in a given season of life.
Today we’re talking about contentment vs. progress and why we feel like we’re doing it wrong, no matter which phase of life we’re in.
When To Be Content & When To Make Progress
There seems to be a constant back and forth between wanting more for our lives and going after the next thing vs. being content with what we’ve already been given and being grateful and satisfied with what we have.
Is this something you notice in yourself as well?
Maybe there’s something you’ve once dreamed of and wished for and now you have it. (ex. spouse, kids, house, money, garage, even just a physical possession, etc.)
Once you get the thing you wanted, you immediately want the next thing.
Sound familiar? It’s completely normal to have times where you feel quite content and then other times where you have a desire to make a lot of progress.
The problem comes when you’re in one phase and feel like you should be in the other.
Do you ever have thoughts like:
“I shouldn’t always need MORE”
Or “I’m not being ambitious enough”
The good news is there is a way to reduce the amount of drama you might have about whether you’re in a contentment phase or a progress phase.
It’s all about changing your mindset and accepting that your brain is wired to always want more.
Jumping into the next thing is the way we are MADE. Humans are designed for progress. But there are a few things you can do to help you celebrate and enjoy the progress you’ve made before jumping into the next big thing. We’ll talk more about that below.
How do we deal with always wanting more?
It’s been incredibly helpful for us to expect and accept that our brains will always want MORE. We are wired to be discontent and strive for more. But also wired to seek pleasure, avoid pain, conserve energy.
Expect and accept that reaching your next goal won’t make your life any happier than it is today.
It might be easier in some ways, but you’ll still have the same thought and feeling habits you have right now. (This is why it’s so important to work on and enjoy your CURRENT thoughts and feelings!)
How To Be Content
After you’ve reached a goal or have gotten something you’ve wanted, take time to pause, reflect, and celebrate!
Work “celebrating” into your goal setting process or your daily life in some way to look back at what you’ve done and SEE it.
Celebrating your progress could look like:
Having some type of monthly or quarterly review
Have a conversation with someone who cares
Setting a “celebration reward” or something ahead of time to do once you’ve completed it as a way to mark the completion of the goal.
Setting clear markers of success so there’s no doubt when you’ve “made it”
Try creating a “want list” that includes things you already have that you want (not just what you don’t have yet)
You Get To Decide Which Mode You’re In
When it comes to contentment vs. progress it’s important to remember that YOU get to decide which “mode” of life you are in.
We like to think of it as growth mode vs. maintenance mode.
Here are two questions to ask yourself to help you decide which mode you’d like to be in and which one will serve you best.
Is it time to set a goal or enjoy your life as it is?
How do you want to experience your life right now?
Again, it’s important to remember that you get to decide. If you have a true desire to make progress right now, then great! If you feel like you need to take a break and just enjoy the work you’ve done so far, that’s also great!
The most helpful thing for us has been to start from a place of contentment first and then make progress.
Being happy with what you already have (an abundance mindset) and then striving for more — without needing that “more” to make you happier than you already are.
Laura + Kristin
Listen to the content below
You can also search The Progress Project on any podcast app.
Episode #169 Contentment Vs. Progress
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