Why You’re Terrible at Predicting Your Own Joy (And How to Fix It)


Hey Reader, you don't want to miss this one! đź‘‹

Let’s be honest: most of us are "hungry shoppers" in the supermarket of life. We show up starving for purpose, without a list, and we grab whatever looks shiny in the moment—a new job, a bigger paycheck, a different neighborhood—only to find that our "cycles of dissatisfaction" are getting shorter and shorter.

This week, my guest on The Story I'm Telling Myself Podcast, Suneet Bhatt, explains that we fail to find happiness because we treat it as a prediction. We think we can guess what will make us happy in three years, but we ignore the data right in front of us: our own history.

The Biological Glitch

Your brain is hardwired with a negativity bias. You feel negative hits two to five times more intensely than positive ones. If you don't intentionally acknowledge your point of origin and then lock in your progress, you’ll just keep raising the standard until the pressure of "what’s next" crushes your ability to feel successful.

How to Take Your Power Back

  1. Reflect Before You Project: Use the "Happy Proud, Not Yet Satisfied" framework. Every day, identify one thing that made you smile, one thing that gave you energy/pride, and one thing you want to tackle tomorrow.
  2. Optimize for the Starting Line: Don't obsess over the finish line. Find the easiest thing you can say "yes" to right now—a micro-yes—to build momentum.
  3. Deploy Your Strongest Weapon: Self-forgiveness. If you miss a day, don't "add weight" to your mental backpack by trying to do double work tomorrow. Forgive yourself and move on.

Reader, this week's permission is to stop chasing the things you think you need. Make space for the things that allow you to thrive. Happiness isn't the reward for your success; it is the superpower that makes your success possible. Listen to this week's episode of my mindset podcast and start remembering what brings you joy and happiness.

​Catch the whole conversation here or starting tomorrow on your favorite podcast platform.

Suneet shares his Happy/Proud/Not Yet Satisfied Practice in this week's Activation Guide: ​​​​TSITM Ep 66 journal.pdf​

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Enjoy & share this with a friend!

Rita Ernst, Positivity Influencer

My weekly emails are for you if you want a transformational SHOT OF POSITIVITY that makes you think, gets you laughing, and sparks a positive change. Start each week inspired.

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