Pleasures are like chewing gum

"Why do pleasures seem like chewing gum?"

I used to wonder why things were pleasurable for some time...

but turn tasteless soon after.

Just like chewing gum.

I'm sure you've also experienced this with:

1. People

2. Events

3. Things

This is the PET everyone craves in this world.

The driving force behind most desires.

Yet, soon after we get them, they no longer seem to excite us as before.

We drop it and start chasing something else.

We get trapped in "I'll be happy when...".

The ‘when’ never comes.

Spirituality has already warned us about 'illusory desires'.

Before you start sulking, understand this:

There is nothing wrong with you.

It is a natural part of how our brains work.

It is deeply rooted in human evolution.

It is called Hedonic Adaptation.

We return to a "normal" or "baseline" level of happiness, no matter what positive or negative changes happen.

Why did our brains evolve this way?

Let's go back a few thousand years.

• Our early ancestors lived in harsh environments and focused on survival

• They couldn't get comfortable in one place even if they found good food and shelter

• They constantly needed to seek and adapt to stay alive

• The human brain evolved to develop a 'reset' button to bring them back to a baseline/normal level of happiness after a while

• This allowed them to stay alert and keep going, increasing their chances of survival

You might be thinking:

“That’s great to know, Gautam. But what can I do about it? Do I have to keep chasing the next shiny object? Can I never be happy?”

I understand.

I wouldn’t write this article without offering a solution.

The solution lies in the definition:

We return to a "normal" or "baseline" level of happiness.

It is to increase your "normal" or "baseline" level of happiness.

A happiness that isn’t linked to people, events and things.

Here’s how:

1. Practice Gratitude:
   (You already knew that, didn’t you?)
   
   Our brains are hardwired to look for negative information.
   
   Why? Go back to our early ancestors.
   
   Their brains needed to scan for threats all the time to survive.
   
   Though the times have changed now, our brains continue to operate similarly.
   
   We are living with outdated software in our brains.
   
   Our brain is a pattern recognition machine.
   
   When you appreciate what you already have, you train your brain to start recognising positive patterns.
   
   Does this mean you become complacent?
   
   No. 

   
   It is about being grateful for what you have AND striving to be grateful for more than what you have.

   
   We need to be happy in the now AND have a vision for the future.
   
   I’ve written about gratitude in more detail in my book ‘The Wealth Launchpad’.
   

2. Focus on intrinsic goals:
   Extrinsic goals like money, power and fame provide short-term boosts in happiness but do not lead to long-term fulfilment.
   
   Don’t get me wrong—Money solves a lot of problems.
   
   However, money and wealth are the means to a life of meaning and freedom.
   
   They are the means goals and not the end goals. 

   
   Intrinsic goals are the end goals—outcomes where you’re unwilling to compromise.
   
   They are about following your heart. 

   
   It is about the happiness that comes through experiences, growth and meaning.
   
   (Need help figuring out your intrinsic goals and creating a life vision? Reach out to me)
   

3. Celebrate small joys:
   Focus on small joyful experiences.
   
   A milestone in your long-term goal.
   A few moments of laughter.
   A beautiful sunset.
   The smell of rain.
   A good meal.
   
   You get the idea.

To conclude, treat hedonic adaptation as a blessing.

It helps us evolve and strive for more, instead of getting comfortable.

It helps us recover from challenging times.

It teaches us not to get stuck.

That’s all for this newsletter.

I trust it was helpful.

Thanks for reading!

-Gautam

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