The next morning the balloon was lying on the floor, where it still remains. Soon it will leave our house destined for landfill. To recreate that same smile we could buy another balloon, but we would be committing to the same cycle, and this time without the novelty.
When we seek joy, we are faced with two choices. A short-cut is presented to us almost everywhere we look: a slice of cake, a cold beer on a sweltering day, a new pair of shoes, a phone upgrade or shiny new car. While they deliver that initial hit of joy, it eventually fades, leaving us with increasing waistlines and debt.
There is a longer road. It starts with frustration, failure and confusion. And then one day everything comes together and you find yourself doing something you’ve never done before.
It doesn’t matter whether other people can do it, only that you haven’t. Then the next day you can try something new again, and the next. The more you do it the easier it gets because you know where the frustration will lead. You will not believe where you can get to, and what you can achieve, if in old age you are still exclaiming “did it self”.
Jeremy is the co-founder of the independent publishing house Leabrook Press and author of the books Graduates’ Guide to Work and Why Do I Lose Trading Forex? He also writes the blog Compounding Time which explores how we can best spend our time, now and into the future. After completing his tertiary education in mechanical engineering and commerce, Jeremy spent a decade in full-time supply chain roles across three diverse industries before deciding to refocus. He is now a father, publisher and part-time member of the work force. He lives in Adelaide, Australia, with his wife and two young children.
