Crippled CEO Blog #181:
There’s a lie we all love to tell ourselves. You’ve told it. I’ve told it. Your mom told it to me last night. (She’s a compulsive liar.)
Here it is: “I’ll be happy when…”
You know how it goes. “I’ll be happy when I lose 20 pounds.”
“I’ll be happy when I get the promotion.”
“I’ll be happy when I buy the house, get the new car, finally launch my business, make six figures, hit seven figures, find the right person, get married, have kids, send the kids to college, retire, move to Florida, or whatever.”
Let me save you some time: no, you won’t.
Look, I’m not saying those things won’t bring you joy. Achieving your goals feels good, no question. When Life Saver hit eight figures, I cracked a big, stupid smile, treated myself to an irresponsibly expensive watch, and did a little internal victory dance. (OK, it was external. Charlotte saw it, and I’ll never live it down.) But here’s the thing: that happiness? It’s fleeting. It’s a sugar high.
A few hours later, your brain says, “Cool. What’s next?”
That’s why chasing happiness by stacking accomplishments is like trying to fill a colander with water. No matter how much you pour in, it’ll never stay full.
You think you’ll feel complete when you get there, but here’s the truth no one wants to hear: there doesn’t exist. The goalpost keeps moving, and you’ll always find another “when” to chase.
So, what’s the alternative? How do you stop running on this treadmill of misery disguised as ambition?
You stop treating happiness like a finish line. You stop tying your joy to some future, hypothetical event. You start looking for it where you are, right now.
I know that sounds like some hippie nonsense, but hear me out. If a guy who can’t walk, dress himself, or wipe his own butt can feel genuinely, stupidly happy on a regular basis, I promise you can, too.
Here’s what’s worked for me:
1. Celebrate the Small Stuff
I’m serious. Did you make a killer cup of coffee this morning? Hell yeah. High five yourself. Did the dog finally stop peeing on the rug? That’s a win. Acknowledge it.
2. Gratitude is a Cheat Code
Look around. Right now. What’s good? Maybe it’s the fact that you’re reading this blog on your magical, glowing pocket computer while sitting in air-conditioned comfort, not dodging wolves in the wilderness. Pretty sweet, right?
3. Enjoy the Game
If life is a video game (and let’s be real, it totally is), then the fun part isn’t beating the final boss. It’s the journey—the grinding, the leveling up, the random side quests. Happiness lives in the little moments, not in the leaderboard.
4. Detach from Results
Work your ass off, absolutely. Chase big goals, yes. But don’t tie your happiness to the outcome. The process itself is where the magic happens.
Listen, I’m not saying you shouldn’t dream big or aim high. Ambition is awesome. Just don’t put your happiness on layaway. Don’t wait for “someday” to start enjoying your life.
Because “someday” isn’t guaranteed. You’ve got today. Be happy now.
(Do you know who was happy last night? Your mom. And let me tell you, she didn’t wait for ‘someday.’ Your mom also gets a text from me every Sunday with a link to the latest blog post. Send a text to 561-726-1567 with the word CRIP as the message to get a link to the blog as soon as it’s up.
Did you know that I have a YouTube channel now? I do! I am putting up two videos every single week. Go search for Crippled CEO and you’ll find me. I would appreciate it if you subscribed.)
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