We think that joy follows success, but actually the opposite is true. Success follows joy, and that’s the only way it can ever happen. Even if it could happen the other way, if you succeed without joy you’re stuck in a life you don’t want, or worse, even hate.
Why is this true? When you enjoy something, two things are happening:
- You like the action. That doesn’t mean you’re happy about it, but you at least appreciate it.
- You get a positive feedback loop from it. You put in energy, and more energy than that comes back to you in one form or another.
If, for instance, you go to pet a dog and it bites your leg, you might still love the dog, but I doubt you would enjoy the experience. Similarly, if you’re doing something you hate, I doubt you’d say you enjoy it, even if you’re very good at it.
Hapitalism is built around the idea that the actions you enjoy are the actions that will also make you the most money.
Not every action you love will work as a business, but there’s at least one little bit inside your heart that does.