Each of us sometimes feels the need to change something. In those moments, we look for an external change that will help us feel better. We want to buy something new, change our job, our partner, our car. We’re always searching for quick fixes to problems that often come from within.
Ask yourself honestly. Do you really need a new car? Do you truly want to leave the job you’ve worked in for the past 10 years, where you were actually doing well? Or is the thing that bothers you coming from inside? Is it boredom with routine? Or dissatisfaction with how your life is unfolding?
Speaking from my own experience, it’s almost always an internal issue. I struggle with it too, and I’ve realized that it can’t be solved by changing things on the outside. Sure, the first feeling may be pleasant, but after a few months, everything returns to its original state.
Humans are incredibly adaptable beings. We can get used to almost any environment, it doesn’t matter if it’s better or worse. Eventually, our level of happiness returns to a neutral baseline.
Imagine getting a promotion and your salary doubles. No matter how much you earned before, that raise will make you happy. For a few months, you’ll feel accomplished and respected. But then, your satisfaction will slowly settle back to its usual level. The same things that annoyed you before will start bothering you again.
Adaptability was a useful trait in the environment we evolved in over thousands of years. But like any trait, it has its dark side. It causes dissatisfaction, because human nature always pushes us to want more.
