That sounds like a good title for a country song! But think about it. Where are you looking for joy in your life?
Are you looking for joy only in the good things that happen to you? Are you looking for joy only in the accomplishments and not the journey? Is it hard for you to find joy in your struggles and challenges?
Let’s start with what joy means to you. A common definition is a feeling of satisfaction, contentment, and pleasure. For you joy may even be more exuberant and celebratory or a deep inner connection. Some people feel joy as a more peaceful inner feeling, while others are more outgoing with their joy.
While even others of us are not finding a lot of joy in our lives at all. Not necessarily because our lives are difficult and stressful or we are overwhelmed with responsibilities. Sometimes it’s just because we don’t know where to look for joy or how to find joy. We just don’t seem to have that mindset.
You know that mindset that a lot of us grew up with since our parents lived through the depression. You have to get good grades in school. You have to work hard. You have to make something of yourself. You have to make money and save money. You have responsibilities to your family.
And even when we had achievements and some level of success, we didn’t necessarily get high fives, pats on the back, and congratulations! It was on to striving toward the next achievement. You graduated from high school as valedictorian. You emerged from college with a 4.0 average. You were selected to the top law firm in Chicago. Did you celebrate any of those victories? Did you find the joy in your achievements? If you did, kudos to you. You’re a head above many of the joyless bunch of strivers.
However, if you look at the path of your life, you’ll notice that you spend about 95% of your life on the journey toward your goals, and only 5% in the results, if that much. And if you’re not celebrating the results, you’re most likely not celebrating the journey. And if you looking for joy only in the results, you’re only joyful 5% of your life!
Since most of our lives are spent in the journey, doesn’t it make sense to look for the joy in every day activities as well as the accomplishments at the end of the path? If you were not brought up in an environment that celebrated and found joy in the big as well as little aspects of life, you can turn that around any time. Your joy is in your hands–and mind.
You can now become a joy seeker. Start by noticing what you are grateful for in your life. Can you find the joy in the sun coming through the window each morning? Do you feel joy when you eat a healthy breakfast to start your day? Notice the rewards you get even when you have challenges throughout the day. Can you find joy after settling down an irate client? Are you able to be joyful after you deliver a talk to a tough audience? Is it possible to experience joy while you’re stuck seeking a solution to a major problem?
If you can start finding the joy along the path to your goals, you’ll not only feel better about life and yourself, you’ll probably reach your goals sooner. More circumstances and people who can help you achieve your results will be attracted to your joy. So start looking for joy in all the right places and you’ll attract more joy and feel a lot happier.
译文:
在一切错误的地方寻找快乐
这个题目看上去像个不错的乡村音乐的曲名！但请你琢磨一下，你要在哪儿才能找到快乐呢？
你只在那些发生在你身上是幸事上找快乐吗？你只在成功中，而不是在过程中找快乐吗？那么你将很难从奋斗与挑战中获得快乐。
我们先从这个话题开始吧：快乐对你意味着什么？大众的解释为：一种欣慰感，一种满足感，一种愉悦感。而对你，快乐或许更是一种兴奋的，喜庆的又或者是内心深处的感受。有些人认为快乐是一种比较平静的内心感受，而有些人则因快乐而变得更加外向。
然而，有些人甚至在生活中找不出太多快乐。这是不可避免的，因为生活是艰难的，充满压力，或是我们被责任团团围住了。可有时，这只仅仅因为我们不懂得去那儿寻找快乐，如何寻找快乐。我们没有形成那种思维模式。
要知道，由于我们的父母经历过艰辛，因此我们生来就被固定上了这种思维模式：你要在学校里取得优异的成绩。你要努力工作。你要事业有成。你要赚钱存钱。你要对家庭负起责任。
可就算我们有了成就，取得了一定的成功，我们也不会高度评价自己，称赞自己，为自己庆祝！而是踏上取得下一个成就的征程。你以优秀毕业生的头衔高中毕业。你凭借平均绩点4.0的好成绩离开了大学。你被芝加哥一所顶尖律师行录用了。你会为其中任何一个胜利而庆祝吗？你在成就中找到快乐了吗？如果找到了，那么这一殊荣非你莫属：为目标而拼命奋斗的苦行僧们的领袖。
可是，如果你看看自己的路，你会发现你为了实现目标付出了95%的生命，而仅用了5%的时间来享受成功。够吗？如果你不为结果庆贺，那你就很可能不会为过程庆贺。如果你只在结果中找快乐，那你就只能享受5%的生命。
既然我们把大多数时间都花在了过程中，那么在日常活动中，当然也在最后取得的成就中寻找快乐不是很有意义吗？如果你不是成长在一个将快乐寓于生活，为生活中的大事小事庆贺的环境中，你可以随时改变环境。快乐掌握在你手中。快乐蕴藏在你心里。
你现在就能成为一个快乐掘金者。从发现生命中的快乐开始。每天早上，当太阳从窗外越过时，你能从中体会到快乐吗？当你吃完营养的早餐开始一天的生活时，你会觉得开心吗？就算是在挑战中度过一天，你也要从中发现乐趣。将一位怒气冲天的委托人安抚好以后，你是否从中获得了快乐呢？在你向一位固执己见的听众做完陈述后，你是否觉得无比兴奋呢？在解决一个重大问题的过程中陷入困境时，你会去寻找快乐吗？如果你能在通往理想的道路上寻找快乐，你不仅会对生活以及你自身感到满意，你还能提早实现你的目标。有更多的条件，更多的人能帮助你达成目标。而这一切都能让你从中获得快乐。所以开始寻找快乐吧，在任何地方都可以。这样你就能获得更多的快乐，感受到无限的欢乐。