The Freudian formula for succeeding in life that is widely shunned by the self-help world is to be on a constant pursuit of pleasure and avoiding situations and things that bring you pain.
Many people think that pleasure is a bad thing. They prefer something they call ‘delayed gratification’ as a form of happiness. They say pleasure makes us eat chocolate and fast food instead of exercising at the gym. They say pleasure keeps us stuck and not in a good place. And we are somehow convinced that all this makes sense because we don’t have a real understanding of what pleasure really is.
Because pleasure is not eating more than two pieces of chocolate cake in pursuit of happiness and pleasure and at the same time knowing that you will probably feel sick afterward. You cannot feel pleasure if underneath you feel guilt.
Real pleasure comes when you breathe in and out and let everything happen naturally. A real pleasure is living your life with an open heart and mind. It is loving yourself the way you are. It is accepting yourself and finding pleasure and delight in your own company. It is letting go of anything and anyone who doesn’t make you happy and fulfilled. It’s finding pleasure in all the things you do every day.
For instance, let’s say you get a sudden craving for pineapple. If you have one in your fridge – great. But, if you don’t, then you will sit in your car or walk to the nearest market and buy yourself a pineapple. You had a craving and you satisfied it without overthinking and worrying too much. You just went to the store and met your desire.
What if you could fill your day-to-day life with many pleasures? What if you could focus on getting pleasure from turning your biggest goals into a reality? What if you could start your own company, make your money, better your connections with people with the same easiness as buying a pineapple. If you applied the same approach to bigger things as you do to getting small pleasures, you will do wonders. Obstacles would go away and you can make all your dreams come true.
So, the only thing you should do is ask yourself: What do I truly want?
Be concise and clear and then focus on it and let pleasure be your guide. Get free of all drama in your life and let the delight of living consume you.
