“He who is not content with what he has, would not be content with what he would like to have.”
– Socrates
After multiple sessions of start-stop/on-demand listening, I finally finished episode #717 of The Tim Ferriss Show featuring Noah Kagan.
It’s over 4 hours long…
If the names don’t ring a bell, Tim Ferriss is a NYT Best Selling author (The 4-Hour Work Week), and Noah Kagan is the CEO of Appsumo, a software deals provider for small businesses.
Both are successful entrepreneurs and have a lot to say about many different topics.
Towards the very end of the podcast, Noah asked Tim a question:
“How do you stay hungry when you’re already full?”
Four hours of mostly unscripted, off-the-cuff dialogue and there was something about that 9-word question that struck me. Sure, I picked up all sorts of nuggets from the podcast, but something about that question…
It affects everyone to different degrees. You don’t have to be a multi-million dollar CEO or a Best-selling author.
The challenge of “staying hungry”, motivated, and driven is not as easy as it sounds. Why is that?
We progress. We get comfortable. We delight as we experience how our hard work moves us from State A (less), to State B (more). Part of the result of hard work is the tendency to relax when the needle starts moving in the right direction over a sustained period.
There’s also nothing wrong with it.
As Socrates said, “He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.”
The second part of Noah’s question, “when you’re already full” varies from person to person.
What does “full” even mean? It varies depending on the circumstance:
- A steady paycheck in a low-stress job after food, clothing, and shelter are checked off?
- A comfortable suburban life where needs are met and an emergency, rainy day fund is in place?
- A semi-retired, 3-comma club (millionaire) lifestyle that’s exceeded your wildest dreams?
Studies on human motivation have shown that it is common over time for people to expend more energy “holding onto what’s been accrued” vs. “going hard and using up energy to gain more.”
The truth is wherever we fall along the spectrum of hunger or fullness, I believe that life calls us to finish the race and to finish the race strong.
Every day is a gift. It sounds cliche, but it’s true.
Finishing the race strong doesn’t necessarily mean working 60-hour weeks or propping up weekend side hustles. These days I tend to see it in two ways:
- Daily gratitude for the present and all that came before
- Future projects to challenge yourself, and make the most of the day ahead
Wherever you are in your current journey, I hope you have both the gratitude and drive to finish the race strong.
While the actual races we run for ourselves are specific and personal, gratefulness, effort, and discipline are not.
Hubert