Never let your quest for more distract you from the beauty of enough

I was in a cushy government job– as far as pay was concerned i was in the top bracket– but the promotion and challenges in life got stagnant- wanted to ride the hamster wheel again– despite being in a comfort zone– but i did not want to get into the rat race again-because whether you win or lose does not matter-you will remain a rat at the end - so in my comfort zone where i did not have to worry about the basic amenities in life -time was mine– i had the choice how to spend it – because that is one thing which we think is unlimited–but it is limited. In the capitalistic world we conflate success with the achievement of the extraordinary. Winners are those who achieve the extraordinary, losers are those who do not. The two mindset shifts to escape the trap: It’s not about achieving the extraordinary, it's about finding purpose, joy, and fulfilment in the ordinary along the way. The prize is not the achievement you strive for, but the striving itself. To reach the comfortable zone- I had to quash my dreams– when kids were playing outside during the evening– i was cramming books. I studied , i plodded –medicine was a tasking profession– 4 and half years for MBBS, one year of internship- study hard again to get a PG seat – 3 years of PG– again study hard to get a superspeciality–superspeciality for 2 years– then establish a practice and it take years to get into a comfort zone– by the time you have enough money– you have a greying hair, you lose your zeal of life– having lost interest in all leisurely activities . But there is another side to it– once you are in the comfort zone–pick up where you left your life- try to bring back the hobbies the activities that you enjoyed– i picked up the story books which i wanted to read always and read them at leisurely pace ruminating every word– suddenly a new world opened up– there was a world beyond medicine-it was more colourful, lively – could enjoy all because i was in a comfort zone. Because shifting the goalpost again– will take you back to the same rut. Suddenly i found there is healthy food – beyond fast food – years of odd hours during education days we ate food whatever was near reach– irrespective of the quality and quantity-but once i was in a the comfort zone– off the hamster wheel– i could choose– my diet and food– and the best food which suited me was fruits, nuts and lean meat–i could control my weight, feel energetic, go for your daily workouts– because food and health is something which you -invest - and don’t borrow- i could do all this because i was in a comfort zone. So did i have to come out again to the hamster wheel– i introspected– i did not feel the need– for money – what does money change in my life? The Trap of the Extraordinary is that This is about dislocating your happiness from any "ends" you're trying to reach. It's about avoiding the "when, then" psychology that says "when I get [X], then I'll be happy." So 1) if you can pay your bills and your rent without stress : It used to take half an hour for finding the right prepaid plan for my mobile– now it is postpaid- just pay the bill at the month end. Same with the rent– in the comfort zone– the office looks after your rent and bills. So what do i need more 2)if you can eat at any restaurant without looking or worrying about the price Used to go to a hotel–used to read the menu from right to left– once in a comfort zone– it is the quality of the food that decides– in fact now i do not even try to open a menu when i go for fine dining-just ask the waiter- the best dish in his menu- and order – but now a single dish is a overkill 3)if you can travel wherever you want without worrying about the price Yes- it was always scrounging the travel apps - for the best deals– but now - generally going to the place of desire-staying in a decent hotel– which has a lavish buffet breakfast spread is not much of a problem. Beyond this, life doesn’t change with more money. I refused to go back to the hamster wheel again. Do you really have to come out of comfort zone to an uncomfortable one– and again struggle to get to the comfort zone again. Four things on which you lived on borrowed time– health, food, money, relationships– now invest in them from your comfort zone. Borrowing leads to credit which you have to pay back with interest while investments compounds your effort. Make the ordinary come alive and the extraordinary will take care of itself. Remember: Never let your quest for more distract you from the beauty of enough.

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