One of my father’s best qualities was his ability to be satisfied with what he had. He didn’t just accept it—he celebrated it.
His five-year-old Ford? “Best car on the block.”
A new doorbell? “That’s the best doorbell I’ve ever heard.”
His three sons? “Best kids in the neighborhood… well, except maybe that third one.” (That’d be me—he’d laugh when he said it.)
I’m not sure where that mindset came from. Maybe growing up during the Depression taught him to appreciate what was available. Maybe losing his father at a young age helped him treasure what remained.
Whatever the reason, his satisfaction seemed effortless, and I’ve always admired it mainly because I find it hard to do myself.
I focus on the next thing:
More to do.
More to learn.
More to become.
I might say I’m content, but underneath, I’m still scanning for what could be better.
Then, during a recent morning meditation, I came across a short Buddhist sutra that stopped me in my tracks:
“Even if they are lying on the ground, the people who know satisfaction are happy and at peace… The people who do not know satisfaction are poor, even if they are rich.”
It reminded me of how often I live in the land of almost:
Almost done.
Almost there.
Almost enough.
But this teaching flips the script. It says satisfaction doesn’t come from having more—it comes from recognizing what’s already here.
I started wondering how I could practice that more intentionally.
Last week, we visited California to see family. It was also my birthday. Typically, I downplay celebrations—but this year, I let it in. I allowed myself to be acknowledged, appreciated, and, yes, indulged with more than a few desserts.
And something surprising happened: I felt full.
Not just from the cake but from the connection. From noticing that what was happening—right then—was just right.
Later that evening, I smiled as I realized how that slight shift created a sense of ease. Maybe satisfaction isn’t something to earn or build, but something to allow.
Years ago, I read a book titled Don’t Push the River, It Flows by Itself by Barry Stevens. It’s been on our bookshelf for forty years—and apparently, it is something that I am still learning.
In the workplace, we prepare ourselves for “what’s next”—
- The next milestone,
- The next deliverable,
- The next review cycle.
That drive has its place, and it often breeds a sense that we are not enough.
Leaders can do something about that.
What if satisfaction at work wasn’t seen as complacency but as presence?
A way of saying:
- “This meeting mattered.”
- “This progress was real.”
- “This version of the team today was good.”
It may be different tomorrow. But today, it worked.
When we let ourselves recognize what’s good—at work and in life—we create space for ease, delight, and, yes, satisfaction.
courtesy: Pexel: BaskinCreative
So that’s my What’s Next this week:
To notice what’s already good.
To stop racing ahead.
To see if satisfaction shows up when I stop chasing it.
How about you? What’s your What’s Next this week? Make a comment below or drop me a line
