Take Advantage of What You've Got
Focusing on progress can blind us to gratitude.
Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not.
Epicurus
We’re all chasing something to improve our lives.
Naturally, we want a bigger house, more time with our friends, more money in the bank, the next step with our significant other, and countless other versions of forward progress.
We want these things because we believe they will make our lives better. And they will, but only if we take advantage of them when we have them.
Changing our lifestyle isn’t enough to change our lives.
Access Isn’t Enough
What we have only matters if we take advantage of it.
If we live near the beach and sit at home all day, we’re no better off than someone who lives hundreds of miles away. If we have a flexible job, but don’t take advantage of it, then we’re no better off than someone with an overbearing boss.
Having what we want is not enough.
We could have everything we’ve ever wanted and still be miserable if we don’t take advantage of what’s in front of us.
It’s easy to fall into a trap of believing we need something new to make a positive change in our lives. The truth is, it’s not about what we have, it’s about what we choose to do with what we have.
Two people can live the same life and have wildly different perceptions and experiences. What we have is a lot less important than what we do with it.
Taking Advantage of What We Have
We should always be pushing ourselves to progress our lives forward, but what’s just as important, is taking advantage of what we already have.
If we can’t appreciate our lives today, then we won’t be able to appreciate them tomorrow. It doesn’t matter how many new things we acquire or how much we’re able to accomplish if we never stop to enjoy what we already have.
We all chase progress, but we also crave fulfillment and happiness. Enjoying what we already have is a more reliable way to feel fulfilled than chasing one shiny object after another.
The same way we learn the basics of a new sport or hobby before progressing onto the next challenge, we should learn to appreciate what we have before chasing something new.
When we’re constantly looking forward to the future, we miss out on what’s right in front of us.
Rather than obsessing with where we’re going, we’re better off taking advantage of where we are.
Prompts
What’s something you’re very fortunate to have as a part of your life that you don’t take full advantage of?
How can you spend the next week taking full advantage of what you already have?
Are their any pursuits in your life that are distracting you from the value of what you already have?
Deep Dive
The Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin Hardy
Measuring your life by how far you've come, not by how far you have to go.
Thanks for reading! I’ll see you next Sunday.
Kevin