Make your Work Fulfilling
Fulfilment comes when doing your work becomes more satisfying than any external gratification.
When I was younger I always believed that happiness came from external gratification. Things like money, fame, and recognition would be the key to living a "successful" life.
External gratification is a powerful force. Take the investment banker who spends 30 years chasing recognition from his peers, putting in miserable 14 hour days. All for external gratification in the form of money and recognition.
This need for gratification from others creates a situation where you need to trade your happiness for the next milestone you think will bring fulfillment. 'I can finally be happy when I get that raise'. But when that raise comes you move the goalposts further.
When you rely on external gratification you will never have 'enough' you always think the next thing will make you happy, but it never does.
Real fulfilment comes when you do things that make you happy without the need for external input.
Only when the work itself becomes rewarding can the dynamic of motivation and reward become self substaining.
The writer who is fulfilled from beating the resistance everyday is much more successful than the writer who needs to be an NYT best seller to feel happy.
You need to create a situation where the work you're doing doesn't rely on external gratification to be rewarding.
This comes from lining up your work with your values. Find what matters to you and align your craft tightly together.
Only when your work lines up with your values can you really master your craft. The top performers in any field rely on intrinsic gratification enabling them to stay motivated and show up every day.
Do things that make you happy and the external gratification will come but don't expect external gratification to bring happiness.
