Do not try and help anyone that does not want help. Do not give advice to someone that isn’t looking for advice. I am just wasting my time. The only person I need to focus on is me. If I want to help anyone, I need to help myself first. I do not need to talk, let my actions speak for me. If I want someone to have discipline, I must show that I am disciplined. If I want someone to be wealthy, then I should be wealthy. Keep my mouth shut, work on my actions, and let my actions speak. Talk is cheap and actions speak louder than words. True character is revealed through consistent behavior. I will let my results do the talking. Lead by example…

“Be the change you wish to see in the world” -Mahatma Gandhi

The hedonic treadmill (also known as hedonic adaptation) is the psychological tendency of humans to quickly return to a relatively stable baseline level of happiness despite major positive or negative life events or changes in our circumstances. cite

Because humans are remarkably resilient, both joy from a big promotion and trauma from a negative event tend to fade over time as we adjust to our new normal. cite

The Striving Cycle

When it comes to positive achievements (like a pay raise or buying a new car), the hedonic treadmill manifests in a predictable four-step loop cite:

1. Desire: We believe that acquiring a specific thing or reaching a milestone will make us deeply happy.
2. Obtain: We reach the goal and experience a surge of excitement and pleasure.
3. Adapt: The novelty wears off, the item or status becomes the “new normal,” and our happiness level drops back to its baseline.
4. Desire Again: Because we feel unsatisfied, we set our sights on the next bigger milestone to chase.