That is certainly a phenomenon worth noting. In a Pew Research of various countries in 2014, it was noted that when the surveyor asked the participant if they were having a good day, more people in the poor countries said yes, over those in wealthy countries.
They rarely feel satisfied because they are focused on next instead of now. When people stay on this cycle of always wanting, they never truly feel happy because they are always wanting more. This is not to say that desiring more is wrong but it is to say that fixating on external factors to make us happy is dangerous. We often believe happiness is found in increased pay, more stuff, job promotion, changed living situation, and other external factors. It is how psychologist describe the we treat happiness, suggesting the following cycle: desire -> work towards desire -> obtain desire -> increased happiness because you obtained desire -> adapt to new way of life because of obtaining desire -> enter new desire -> repeat cycle.
It is what psychologists call the Hedonic Treadmill or hedonic adaptation. “It” becomes normal and sure enough “it” is replaced by “IT.” Time passes however and the joy we felt for “it” is gone. We share the news with everyone we know.įor a while we are happy. Our minds are blown that we finally have “it.” We praise God for “it,” thanking Him for answering our prayers. We dream of “it” frequently, fantasizing about what we will do when we have “it.” And then, we get “it.”Įlation rushes through our body. We emphatically believe that having “it” will change our lives drastically.