‘I’ll enjoy myself tomorrow when I achieve my goal.’ A common tale we tell ourselves. This, however, is a narrative that our unconscious is not a big fan of. READ this article to find out what drives our unconscious choices
Delayed Life Syndrome
You might’ve heard of a ‘Delayed Life Syndrome.’ When we live a postponed life, promising ourselves happiness someday in the future. This creates negative neuro-associations between our desired outcomes and our current state of being, continually sacrificing our present for a happier tomorrow.
How Your Unconscious Saves You from a Miserable Future
Logically, it appears sensible that until we accomplish a desired outcome, we don’t deserve to celebrate. Yet your inner child might argue: ‘I’ve put in an effort, haven’t I?’
To what you probably respond: ‘There’s nothing to celebrate yet. Once I hit my milestones — then there’s something to talk about.’ As responsible adults, we often work hard to achieve results, taking things seriously to avoid sabotaging our achievements.
Unfortunately, this has a couter-effect whereas our emotional unconscious perceives this as a threat to our happiness. It interprets our sacrifices and postponed pleasures as a sign that the goal doesn’t make us happy. It logically wonders, if working towards the goal makes us this unhappy, what will happen when we achieve it?
“If you already feel so miserable working towards that goal, what’ll happen when you achieve it…
Consequently, through self-sabotage or similar mechanisms, our unconscious tries to save us from an ‘undesired’ goal to prevent disappointment.
Prevention Is Easier Than Cure
Preventing this cycle is far easier than curing it. Let’s say you promise yourself that the moment you achieve your goal, you’ll start taking small healthy breaks throughout the day, go to the cinema with friends, or finally make it to that date you’ve been postponing.
Do it. Don’t delay. Start incorporating these activities into your routine now to get accustomed to your new reality.
Of course, maybe not all at once, but it’s still possible to have a balanced life while maintaining your priorities. Whatever you promise yourself to do once you achieve your goal, start doing it gradually today. Otherwise, you may never do it and struggle to achieve your goal due to a lack of motivation.
For instance, if you plan to go to the gym, get proper sleep, or maintain a work-life balance once you reach your goal, start now if you want to succeed.
Reward Yourself Along the Way
You need to reward yourself not only at the finish line. Getting there requires refilling your tank of positive emotions, energy, and moments that remind you of the greater purpose and joy in life.
Getting rewarded in a timely manner helps establish healthy and positive cause-and-effect associations in your brain. Enjoy life now and save for later. Delaying gratification indefinitely can lead to a joyless journey and a hollow victory.
By integrating pleasure into your path to success, you align your conscious and unconscious minds, making the journey rewarding and, hence, the destination more desirable and fulfilling.
