The Satisfaction Equation

The feeling of satisfaction is often experienced with a deep breath followed by a long, fulfilled sigh of relief.?For me, satisfaction feels like I've been swimming for some time (working towards an accomplishment, stressing about an outcome, saving for a purchase, etc.) and then, all of a sudden, I have ground beneath my feet. Whether it’s through my effort or just by God’s good grace, I’m overcome by gratitude for what I have and the weight of working towards what I want is at least momentarily lifted.

Well, here’s the thing. Satisfaction doesn't have to be elusive, experienced almost by chance or only when we achieve or get what we want.

Much of the time, satisfaction is within reach and we can in fact take rest to enjoy life, but we’re swimming like we’re in the deep end. If we would just pause to fully extend our legs, we’d find that the ground of satisfaction was within reach the whole time. Satisfaction can always be found in what we have in the present, if we can just control our wants of the future.

In his book, From Strength to Strength, social scientist Arthur Brooks puts it this way with some simple math:

SATISFACTION = WHAT YOU HAVE / WHAT YOU WANT

Brooks explains, “As you increase your haves without managing your wants, your wants will proliferate and sprawl. You can easily be less and less satisfied as you move up the success ladder, because your wants will always outstrip your haves. And when they do, your satisfaction will fall.”?

It's the age-old enough question: When will enough be enough? I let my clients set their own goals and with time I try to gently question them on whether their goals are even necessary, because sometimes it just feels like they need the next thing because they don't know how to be satisfied with what they have now. In fact, I've been turning the magnifying glass back on myself with this a lot recently.

Don't get me wrong, it’s good to have wants. Wants get us out of bed in the morning and motivate us towards productive, purpose-filled lives, but our wants can also sink us while swimming towards success if we neglect our needed contact with the ground of satisfaction. It's just that if we're not satisfied with what we have now, the next want likely won't do the trick.

If you can get used to planting your feet firmly in satisfaction with what you have, getting what you want will likely be more meaningful and, you guessed it, satisfying. You might even find that what you want is what you already have.

--> Now, if you’re willing, encourage/inspire others towards satisfaction by dropping a comment sharing how you experience satisfaction with what you already have.

I’ll go first. I’m satisfied when I switch from my podcasts/audiobooks to music, so I can dance a little while cooking up a simple stir-fry dinner with my family. These are probably my best, most satisfied moments. They're cheap and, God-willing, near always available.

Your turn. Finish the sentence, "I'm satisfied when ___________."

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