You must have heard of the phrase Cabbage in and Cabbage out and you might think it is a word related to computers only but that's not true because the word cabbage in and cabbage out has to do with everything around us. As we journey this life with the goal of succeeding, what we take in is as important as the things we leave behind. Most of the time, the reason why we haven't succeeded isn't because of the things we are yet to do but because of the things we fail to let go.
First you need to understand that success isn't happiness and both rich and poor can be unhappy. You do not need to chase happiness to be happy, because that chasing happiness talk is just a trap to keep you where you are. Chasing happiness will take you nowhere, because with chasing happiness, you just want to remain where you are happy and since you do not want to cut the fun, you do not want to progress. Forget that happiness crap you have been sold all your life and pursue a career, pursue a mandate, pursue a mission and when you hit it, explain to me what you feel.
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The trill is in the chase and not in the stagnation. If you are happy at a position today, it doesn't mean you will continue to be happy there tomorrow because as humans we want to explore, we want to try new things, do new activities, chase new dreams, and accomplish new missions. Happiness is the after reward for successful chase and it should not be the one to be chased after. A good life comes from the happiness of pursuit and not the pursuit of happiness. So, if there is a cabbage to be out, it is chasing happiness instead of chasing your dreams.
Something I have noticed with a lot of people around me is their inability to think long term. I have been with a lot of people within the age of 20 and 40 and all they care about is the short term wins they are pursuing. If you want to succeed, your plans have to be like a race of marathon but with small sprint milestones and not a game of sprint where you become tired immediately.
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Greatness is not a one year thing, it is a decade thinking and people who have succeeded in this world know that planning for the short term with no long term thought is a waste because when the money comes in the short run, there will be no foresight for the long term and so the money becomes wasted. Delayed gratification is the best predictor of a person that will be successful.
When you hear someone say they love their comfort zone when they are asked to push further, just have it at the back of your mind that they are scared of taking risks and just want to remain at the spot for a very long time. Comfort is cozy but it definitely makes you feel like you have achieved all that you want but this is not true. There is always a barrier to break, a limit to overcome and a goal to achieve. Your comfort zone is not a place for growth but a place for relaxation and when you are too relaxed, you lose out in a lot of things including growing. You do not need to play it safe because success doesn't come in safe zones.
In everything you do, do not compare yourself to anyone. You are a special person on a special and singular race. Comparing yourself to someone else steals your joy, robs you of your drive, and makes your progress blurry because you would see your moves as insignificant even when they are very big. You are not racing against anyone, you are racing against your yesterday so your tomorrow can be better. Never forget that every success story comes with a struggle which you might be aware off or not and people are fighting their own battles.