Riding two horses

When we are growing up, we are given two contradictory messages. One is “do the best you can.” The other, “be happy with what you have.” If you are supposed to do the best you can, why would you stop striving for something better than what you have? On the other hand, if you are happy with what you have, why would you strive for anything better?

As we grow older, these messages manifest themselves in the following way.

We work hard to get the highest education, most money, most fame and most of whatever we decide our life’s preferences are. The culture of maximizing sets in, one in which nothing is every good enough. We find every situation wanting and every achievement a mere stepping stone to something better.

The message of being happy with what you have…it is almost forgotten by most, and for the others, it becomes the source of an aimless life without any drive or motivation. For most of us, who do not start with much, this type of complacency leads to hard life.

I think that one needs to have both to be truly happy. One needs to do the best one can AND be happy with what one has. This is not simple to achieve, because, as I said they contradict each other. It is like riding two horses at once. Perhaps the way out is to ride one horse at a time and figure out how and when to change horses.

So, we need to work hard to achieve, but at some point, we need to switch horse and enjoy what we have without being envious of people who have more or regretting what we have not been able to achieve. We should certainly try to live in the best place you can, but then get off that “achievement” horse and get on the “contentment” one. Learn to enjoy where you live, even if that place turns out to be Cleveland.