Week 341 (brendan@brendanbarca.com)

Here's your weekly dose of Fuel Your Mind Friday where I, Brendan Barca, share business building ideas, lifestyle design hacks, and inspirational content to help you thrive in your work and find purpose in your life.

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Quick Update: My wife, Pema, and I launched a new mindfulness-based newsletter last month that comes out on Wednesdays called The Mindful Minute -> ​Check it out here!

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CURE YOURSELF OF DESTINATION ADDICTION

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"Beware of destination addiction...until you give up the idea that happiness is somewhere else, it will never be where you are." - Robert Holden

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When I was unemployed all I wanted was a job. When I had a job all I wanted was a better one. When I had a better job all I wanted was my own business. And now that I have my own business, I still yearn for more.

As humans we often make the mistake of believing that happiness, peace, and prosperity can only be found in some future state. We tell ourselves that we need just a few circumstances to change in order for us to have "made it."

If I can just get one promotion I'll feel secure.

If I can just move to that nice neighborhood I'll feel rich.

If I can just find a partner I'll feel loved.

How many times have you caught yourself making a statement similar to these? It's OK. You're not alone. We're all guilty of this.

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We all suffer from what psychologist, Robert Holden, calls "destination addiction." This is the tendency to believe that happiness or contentment is only possible once we attain some new external reality. But if we are always looking to find happiness through some future circumstance, we will never find happiness where we are right now.

Think about a recent goal that you set and achieved. Maybe you got a great new job. Maybe you grew your revenue by 20%. Maybe you put down a mortgage on your dream home.

Once you achieved that goal, what happened? Perhaps you felt good for a few days or even a few weeks. But then, before you know it, it's back to asking yourself "what's missing?" It's back to yearning for more. You start concocting up ways to get to the next destination.

It's this type of mentality that, if we're not careful, can plague us for our entire lives. We can spend year after year searching for the perfect destination while life continues to pass us by.

The next time you catch yourself falling into the trap of destination addiction, ask yourself these two questions:

1. How am I depending on some future circumstance to improve the way I feel?
2. How can I find contentment with where I am right now?

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It’s ok to be ambitious. It’s ok to strive for great things. But don’t do it at the cost of your mental health.

Embrace where you are right now.

It’s the only place you’ll ever be.

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Until next week,

- Brendan

​Let's connect on LinkedIn!

​brendanbarca.com​

Don't miss our newest creation, The Mindful Minute -> ​Check it out here!