There’s a common misconception that achieving success leads to contentment. But it’s actually the other way around.

If you reach a point of “success” but weren’t content during the process to get there, what makes you think you’ll suddenly be content once you arrive?

We can be content in the process without being complacent. 

Contentment is being aware of where we are in the process and appreciating what the present moment brings us. At the same time, we can still aim for new levels of growth beyond our current level.

There are common lies we tell ourselves about what happens once we hit the magical place we define as “success”:

“Once I get there I’ll have more time for my kids”

“I’ll be able to focus more on my marriage”

“I’ll have time to get in shape”

These lies all reveal the same problem: we haven’t clearly defined what success actually looks like day-to-day.

We’re fooling ourselves if we think that we’ll magically change once we achieve our goals. 

A clear definition of success includes not only your end goal, but also what you want your daily experience to look like while pursuing that goal.