The Secret to Being Happy Is…

Stop chasing the money. Stop chasing the ‘American Dream’. Chase your dream, your goals, your happiness.

"Follow Your Dreams" by Banksy

What if someone told you that the secret to being happier than you’ve ever been was to quit your job tomorrow? Would you do it? Would you have the guts to step into the unknown and give up your security blanket?

If your job is keeping you from doing what you love, find a way out. Don’t be scared, because things will work out in the end. It may lead to a complete shift in lifestyle and it isn’t easy, but overcoming that fear is the single greatest gift that you could give yourself.

First of all, your life will never be perfect, so stop chasing perfection. What you should chase are the experiences that lead to a more fulfilling life. That new car, those new jeans, that new pair of underwear and make your butt look super cute, don’t mean anything in the long run. In the end, your car will break down, your jeans will wear out, and that new underwear will become old and threadbare just like all the others out there. However, the experiences that you have will last for a lifetime.

Experiences don’t ever expire. They won’t ever make you feel fat and they won’t ever go out of style. The sooner that we’re able to realize that spending our time and money on the pursuit of these positive life experiences, the more quickly we can advance on the road to real happiness.

One hard truth is that the American Dream was manufactured. It’s something that’s been designed as a marketing tool to portray the greatness of America and our way of life. It’s a dream that’s perpetuated by consumerism.

Buy more, buy better, trust us, we know where you should spend your money.

Trying to keep up with the Jones’ will only leave you stressed and leading a life that’s filled with material things. Find your own path. Set your own goals. Smash through any obstacles that get in the way and fully dedicate yourself to the pursuit of real happiness.

Mindset of A Champion

An athlete at the top of his game exudes an aura, an energy. When you’re in their presence you can sense it. They don’t seem to walk through the world so much as their energy commands it to move around them. Successful people are the same way. I’ve had the privilege of being exposed to some really successful people, most of them here in Charlotte. They might not have been overtly or blatantly flaunting their success, but when you’re around them, you have a sense that they’re fulfilling their dream.

The reason that I bring this up, is that there’s a thread of connection that I’ve seen through all of these successful people. It’s their mindset. It’s the attitude that they choose to use as their filter for the world. Attitude effects our perception of the world around us. With the right attitude, even the tough situations are much less stressful.

Think about your day for a moment. Was it good? Was it terrible? Why? How did it start out? Maybe some jerk cut you off in traffic. Maybe you started the day in a fight with your partner. Maybe you just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. So why do these things matter? They matter because they molded your outlook on the day. These events, which are small in the scheme of your life, can have such a powerful influence on your productivity and ultimately your happiness.

Well, what if you had taken a moment, a time out to ca yourself an readjust your perspective. Would your day have been different? I want you to think for a moment about the chain of events that occurred after your attitude shifted from good to bad, or from bad to worse.
Most days, the things that happen to you and around you are almost completely out of your control. The only thing you can control is how you react. That reaction is going to be based on the positive or negative outlook that you’ve chosen to use as your experiential filter.
So the next time you step in dog poop, spill your coffee, or they run out of bear claws at the donut shop, take a deep breath and look around you. Consciously decide how you’re going to deal with that situation and how big of impact that I really has on your life. Little by little you’ll start to see a shift in yourself and the way that people perceive you.
Your attitude and outlook will become infectious and will open doorways and opportunities for success.