If success doesn't equal happiness, then what does?

It’s been 3 weeks since Elmo’s social media manager (literally how does one get that job) asked a simple question on Twitter and regretted it immediately.

Seemingly harmless unless you’ve been on Twitter even once in your life in which case you KNOW the replies (over 16 THOUSAND of them) were all but harmless. 

I laughed because some of them were funny and also I felt really, really sad because some of them were definitely rooted in truth.

As a Salesgirl does, I looked up some statistics to find how collectively unhappy Americans seem to be and it was worse than I thought.

Headline from 2020: AMERICANS REPORT RECORD UNHAPPINESS

Headline from 2021: AMERICANS ARE NOW EVEN SADDER THAN BEFORE

Headline from 2022: AMERICAN LARGELY DISSATISFIED WITH PERSONAL LIVES 

Headline from 2023: AMERICAN HAPPINESS HITS RECORD LOW

Headline from 2024: REPORTS SHOW LOW RATES OF WELL-BEING

We are only in the second month of the year into the year, fam, and that’s already been a headline.

We are breaking records and not the good kind. 

We can’t encourage the 16,000 people who responded to Elmo’s tweet, but we can remind YOU:

Hitting your next goal will not make you happier or have a better life. And you should pursue it anyways.

We’ve all heard countless stories about the people who had everything they’ve ever wanted and still felt miserable.

There’s no way I could be upset with a house in Martha’s Vineyard, right? RIGHT?????

Wrong.

There are so many stories that prove to us over and over again: happiness comes from your mind and your thoughts, never your circumstances. 

Our mothers were right. Again.

You will not find a form of happiness in your future that you don’t already have right now.

If you’re thinking, “so if I’m not gonna be happier then what’s the hogwash about pursuing it anyways? I think I’ll bask in my misery TYSM.”

So glad you asked. I am a bask-er from way back. I doubt anyone can bask better than I.

Here’s the thing: the point of success and goals is not to be happier than we are today. The point of working towards success is because our purpose in life is to evolve into the best version of ourselves. 

When you develop yourself, then you have something insanely valuable to offer in your pursuit to serve others.

Your pursuit of growth is not selfish if you are using your gifts and refined skills to better the lives around you - whether it's the sticky finger at your dinner table, your client membership, or a non-profit across the world.

The missed shots don’t phase you as much when you never stop shooting.

But enough about us. How are YOU, Elmo?

Xo, The Salesgirls