Sacrifice = Satisfaction

My economics professor mentioned this term in one of our classes and it stuck to me. Well, I don’t remember the point he was trying to make at that time from a demand and supply stand point, but the term stuck to me like a honeybee stuck on a nectar.

And whenever I come back to the quote, it makes total sense to me. Aren’t we all sacrificing something on an everyday basis, to reach our personal/professional goals? Missing your mom’s birthday because you are busy working on the proposal that is due tomorrow? Not taking your girlfriend/wife’s call because you are in a meeting, it can be anything. Over the time we have learnt to rationalise with things and situations for a greater good, or a greater cause which makes sense to us.

And I totally understand working towards that greater cause, that’s what I’m doing aswell, but the important bit is to realise that sense of sacrifice, appreciate it and work towards making sure that those sacrifices are balanced with your personal goals.

One of the other quotes that’s stuck to me over the years is the above one. It tells us about the usual decisions we face in our everyday lives, and it also at the same time tells us about testing ourselves till the very end. I’m a big believer of giving the best you have to whatever you are working towards. Because, at the end of it, you will have achieved what you were after or be happy about the fact that at-least you tried. (Don’t end up in jail and you’ll be alright.)

We have become accustomed to victimising ourselves for the choices we have made ourselves, and that’s something that I don’t believe in. If you are in a spot (if), you are there because of yourself. And if you are winning big personally/professionally it’s also because of the decisions you took, which made sense to you then.

It’s all about realising and not undermining the sacrifices you have made over the years and making peace with them. Once you learn to do that, I won’t say it will all start making sense, but at the same it will possibly mean that you will start appreciating your achievements and cherish them even more.

It will most definitely also mean that you will try to balance out your sacrifices vs satisfactions even more, and find the sweet spot. Now sweet spot is the place to be, work towards your sweet spot, without falling prey to pressure and I’m sure you will find your sacrifice < Satisfaction spot pretty soon.