Why We Feel Empty After Achieving Our Goals

Hey to all 87 of you!

If you’re new here, it might be beneficial to read some of the previous posts.

I’ve been a Windows guy all my life. Even though I’ve always liked the Apple ecosystem, it took me a while to convert.

Once I decided I to switch to MacOS, I’ve started saving.

And I saved..and saved..and saved a bit more cause these things are expensive.

Naturally, while waiting, I began exploring all the ways I’d put it to use. It made me happy to imagine the possibilities, and I thought I’d feel even happier once I finally had it.

So I recently bought a new iMac, and it made me realise something disturbing.

I was very excited for a good five minutes. As soon as I unpacked it, I realised it’s just a tool. Like a hammer for a carpenter.

The initial happiness faded fast, leaving me questioning: where did the sense of fulfilment go? And why was I already thinking about the next thing to boost my productivity?

Curious as always, I started looking for answers.

This is what I found.

The Arrival Fallacy.

In 2006, a Harvard Professor noticed something interesting.

Many high-achieving students felt empty after reaching big goals.

• they got stuff done

• they got into elite universities

• they landed highly esteemed jobs

But despite all of these, they were still stressed and unhappy.

This phenomenon is called the arrival fallacy. It’s the false belief that achieving big goals will bring lasting happiness. In reality, as soon as you achieve one goal, you set another. And the cycle continues.

Right now, you might be working hard towards:

• a first class degree

• a high paying job

• other big goals

If this sounds familiar, remember that happiness that comes from external goals doesn’t last.

True fulfilment comes from within—through personal growth, purpose, and finding joy in the process.

At least that’s what our Harvard professor concluded. And it explains a lot about what I felt.

Am I grateful for the computer? Absolutely. That’s not the point here.

The real issue is that I falsely believed it would make me happy.

It’s something to think about as we work towards future goals.

Talk Friday,

George