Secret #4

Goal-Free Living: How to Have the Life You Want NOW!

Secret #4: Want What You Have (from Stephen Shapiro’s Goal-Free Living)

“Rather than appreciate what we have right now or what we’ve achieved right now, we bank on the belief that the future will be better…The challenge is to want what you have. Only when you have a deep appreciation for where you are today can you truly begin to dream about what is possible.”

In other words: Appreciate what you have, where you are and who you are right now. It’s not to say you can’t have dreams, but don’t be so focused on getting more, more, more that you lose out on the joy of today. It’s kind of like when you are a parent, yes you want your child to grow up to be a successful adult, but you know you need to enjoy the baby years, the toddler years, the grade school years, etc. right here, right now, because you can never get them back.

  • Look for the great things in your life rather than the negatives.
  • Focus on what you have.
  • Focus on the wonderful things in your life right now, rather than what you think you want to have in the future.
  • Find pleasure in the simplest experiences.
  • What you do is not as important as how you do.


Here’s a great piece of advice: “Measure your life by your own yardstick.” If you measure your life by what is important to you, it is easier to appreciate what you have regardless of your circumstances, it is easier to appreciate who you are. Give yourself the dignity and respect you deserve. Then you will begin to appreciate everything you already have in your life.

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