Most people expect the path to happiness to be straightforward, it isn’t.
The path go a good life and happiness is one of the most complicated to navigate. When you succeed, you want more, when you stop, you feel like a failure.
I have heard a quote that says: “You will never reach your goals, you will always stay on the path to more. Stop thinking about enjoying the goal, start thinking about enjoying the journey.”
Pick a path that you will enjoy staying on, don’t pick a journey you will hate to reach a goal you think you will love, you will only want more when you reach it.
It is a constant battle with the mind isn't it. I had to unlearn what I felt like I was expected and needed to do for a long time and finally I can say I'm pretty good with just accepting things as they come. SO many times I think I need to just get a full time writing job, but what I really want is to live comfortably and happily with just a few hours of work I enjoy every single day.
Yeah, it’s all too easy to get swept up in what we think we’re “supposed” to be chasing, but that often leads us away from what truly makes us happy. Just like Paul’s book suggests, sometimes we need that permission slip to step off the treadmill and explore paths that resonate with our authentic selves. - Because there’s no expiration date on finding your own way.
This is precisely why I just changed the name of my Substack from "The Quietly Ambitious" (who it's for) to "Creating What's Next" (the ACT of what we are all doing).
To your point, the idea of jumping out of one pre-determined "box" only to put myself in another one (defined and structured by someone else's rules) feels excpetionally deflating and uninspired to me.
Here's to creating the next chapter in a way that is uniquely us.
Great title change, Kevin. Ambition is such a weird word. I think we can be traditionally ambitious (have drive, want to be successful) while working in a more modern way (i.e. not the 40-60 hour grind).
This issue talks directly to me. I've spent the last year "doing what works" and being grateful about its success after putting in years of work. Yet, something personal was definitely "off". After taking a pause for several months, searching for what this all means, I'm finally turning the corner to no longer do what others, including friends, family and some clients expect me to do when my head is no longer in the right place. 2026 is already a year of new personal and business evolution that only could have happend by accepting the discomfort of what my gut was telling me for the last year.
I just stepped into a world I probably shouldn't be in, or at least one most people my age wouldn't venture into: I moved into a retirement community. I'm 51 and not retired. But my wife qualifies for the minimum 55 year old age requirement, we bought the house from my parents two years ago, and last weekend we moved in for the next three months. We traded our winter coats in Colorado for the sun in Arizona.
But it feels weird because I am still working, remotely for myself, and I keep thinking, "Most people my age wouldn't think to move to a place where everyone else is already retired." But here's the thing, everyone around me is so happy. They are all living their best lives and enjoying the sunny days and activities. It's infectious. I don't spend much time talking to people about hustling or trying for more or building a business. I talk to them about their families and their interests and what they do for fun.
I still find myself saying, "You're too young to be in this place," but then I think, "Who says you can't start to enjoy the retirement lifestyle without actually retiring?"
Oh wow, that’s really interesting (and a cool share), Greg. I totally understand why you’d feel conflicted, but there are no rules :) Sounds like you made a good move for YOU.
Beautiful permission slip Justin, thank you. The crux for me was “people like me” — and how intertwined “identity” is with “next right action.”
The only person I want to strive to be more like is my truest self. And that’s been one of the greatest challenges of all, when we’re so programmed to mirror and look outside ourselves for identity.
Most people expect the path to happiness to be straightforward, it isn’t.
The path go a good life and happiness is one of the most complicated to navigate. When you succeed, you want more, when you stop, you feel like a failure.
I have heard a quote that says: “You will never reach your goals, you will always stay on the path to more. Stop thinking about enjoying the goal, start thinking about enjoying the journey.”
Pick a path that you will enjoy staying on, don’t pick a journey you will hate to reach a goal you think you will love, you will only want more when you reach it.
It is a constant battle with the mind isn't it. I had to unlearn what I felt like I was expected and needed to do for a long time and finally I can say I'm pretty good with just accepting things as they come. SO many times I think I need to just get a full time writing job, but what I really want is to live comfortably and happily with just a few hours of work I enjoy every single day.
Yeah, it’s all too easy to get swept up in what we think we’re “supposed” to be chasing, but that often leads us away from what truly makes us happy. Just like Paul’s book suggests, sometimes we need that permission slip to step off the treadmill and explore paths that resonate with our authentic selves. - Because there’s no expiration date on finding your own way.
I love that - "there's no expiration date on finding your own way." A gorgeous way to describe it.
This is precisely why I just changed the name of my Substack from "The Quietly Ambitious" (who it's for) to "Creating What's Next" (the ACT of what we are all doing).
To your point, the idea of jumping out of one pre-determined "box" only to put myself in another one (defined and structured by someone else's rules) feels excpetionally deflating and uninspired to me.
Here's to creating the next chapter in a way that is uniquely us.
Great title change, Kevin. Ambition is such a weird word. I think we can be traditionally ambitious (have drive, want to be successful) while working in a more modern way (i.e. not the 40-60 hour grind).
So true and another great example of how we can exercise our agency around defining what fits and suit us now.
This issue talks directly to me. I've spent the last year "doing what works" and being grateful about its success after putting in years of work. Yet, something personal was definitely "off". After taking a pause for several months, searching for what this all means, I'm finally turning the corner to no longer do what others, including friends, family and some clients expect me to do when my head is no longer in the right place. 2026 is already a year of new personal and business evolution that only could have happend by accepting the discomfort of what my gut was telling me for the last year.
I just stepped into a world I probably shouldn't be in, or at least one most people my age wouldn't venture into: I moved into a retirement community. I'm 51 and not retired. But my wife qualifies for the minimum 55 year old age requirement, we bought the house from my parents two years ago, and last weekend we moved in for the next three months. We traded our winter coats in Colorado for the sun in Arizona.
But it feels weird because I am still working, remotely for myself, and I keep thinking, "Most people my age wouldn't think to move to a place where everyone else is already retired." But here's the thing, everyone around me is so happy. They are all living their best lives and enjoying the sunny days and activities. It's infectious. I don't spend much time talking to people about hustling or trying for more or building a business. I talk to them about their families and their interests and what they do for fun.
I still find myself saying, "You're too young to be in this place," but then I think, "Who says you can't start to enjoy the retirement lifestyle without actually retiring?"
Oh wow, that’s really interesting (and a cool share), Greg. I totally understand why you’d feel conflicted, but there are no rules :) Sounds like you made a good move for YOU.
So good!
Appreciate it, K.G.
This is so insightful, and I honestly find it inspiring.
Thanks!
This reminds me of the verse: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed..."Romans 12:2
Yes, take the pathless path, which is invisible, difficult, but interesting
Beautiful permission slip Justin, thank you. The crux for me was “people like me” — and how intertwined “identity” is with “next right action.”
The only person I want to strive to be more like is my truest self. And that’s been one of the greatest challenges of all, when we’re so programmed to mirror and look outside ourselves for identity.