Many people think that if they were only in some other place, or had some other job, they would be happy. Well, that is doubtful. So get as much happiness out of what you are doing as you can and don’t put off being happy until some future date.
Dale Carnegie.
A person’s state of happiness at a point in time determines his or her level of productivity and performance at that given point in time. Many people are unhappy today because they thought life is unfair to them. They see what they have, where they are and who they are, as far from being the best for them. We all know that good is the enemy of best, but it is better to accept and appreciates the ‘good’ we have presently than to keep crying over the ‘ best ’ we are yet to attain. Learn to be happy with what you have, where you are and who you are while not relenting on becoming the best you can be.
There are people who believe they are not making it in life due to their family background. Some attributed their failure in life to their country of origin, while others believe their undoing is their educational background. The truth of the matter is that some Secondary School Certificate holders may assume they are where they are because they are not graduates, while some graduates believe it takes a master’s degree to excel, while people with master’s degree assume the peak is to have a doctorate degree. When even somebody with a doctorate degree may also believe that it takes connection in high places to succeed. Instead of thinking happiness can only be gotten when you’ve gotten to a certain position or level in life, while not be happy with your present position and at the same time continue to work towards reaching your desired level or position.
Majority of youths that are ripe enough for marriage today, both men and women often believe erroneously that happiness can only come when they are married, forgetting that marriage also come with its own responsibility and challenges. Some people are not happy working under someone else believing that happiness can only come when they own their personal businesses forgetting that no matter your present position challenges are inevitable. So be happy with your present position, job, and position while still hoping for the best. Only this can bring out the best in you.
No matter who you are, where you are and what you do, until you are happy doing what you do, your level of performance is bound to be below average. If you are not able to perform optimally due to your thinking that what you are doing presently doesn’t make you feel happy, then you are laying a legacy of mediocrity that could mar your future performance even in your assumed dream job or position that you thought would guaranteed you happiness.
The only way out of this happiness seeking syndrome is to be happy doing what you are doing, while doing it, all the times.
Never assume that you are only going to be happy when you are married, have a well paying job, own your own business or when you start to do what you think you love doing. Peak performance is only possible when you do all that you do with all your might. And the only thing that can guarantee you an upward elevation to your desired higher position is peak performance. Unless you are happy doing what you are doing at hand forget peak performance.
To excel in life the secret is: Get as much happiness out of what you are doing as you can and don’t put off being happy until some future date.
Ajiboro Deji is a chartered HR Practitioner based in Lagos, Nigeria. Tel: 2348027807452. Email:jibdej@gmail.com
