I think there’s an art to truly enjoying life. And it has nothing to do with getting rich or ripped or admired or acclaimed.
I believe that if you can’t find genuine enjoyment in the smallest of things…having a stimulating conversation…relaxing with the right person…getting through a successful workout…you won’t likely find it in “bigger” things either. (Click here to tweet this!)
If you told me that a few years ago, I would have scoffed.
I had the idea that I had to earn the right to take enjoyment in the little things. And that this right could only be earned through diligence and accomplishment. Accordingly, my sole focus in life was achieving goals and relieving some of the internal pressure I felt to realize what I thought I was capable of. Only then, I thought, I could comfortably leave my warpath for something a bit more scenic. Only then could I find “simple” things worthwhile.
Well, I was wrong.
No matter what I achieved, pressure readings remained the same. Context changed but there it was, bearing down on me just as it always had.
Building the body I had always dreamed about did little to relieve the pressure of feeling like “is this it?” If only I were stronger. If only I had better genetics, if I only could eat more and stay lean.
Making more money did little to relieve the pressure of wanting more. Just for the sake of more. It no longer had to do with paying bills or saving up for something important. It just became a way to keep score and mine just felt too damn low. Compared to what? I don’t know. Compared to people with higher scores.
Having nicer things did little to relieve the pressure of wanting the cooler car, the bigger home, the more extravagant widgets. I was chasing a sheen that seemed to fade quicker and quicker.
Selling hundreds of thousands of books, building one of the biggest fitness blogs on the Net, launching a successful supplement company, and meeting and helping thousands of people did little the relieve the pressure of “what’s next?” Of wanting to climb the bigger, more treacherous mountain in the distance.
Well, eventually I learned that these pressures aren’t like a fog that eventually dissipates–they’re like gravity. You don’t grope around in the dark until the sun finally bakes it away–you learn to operate within its sphere…to feel its heft and smile.
The lesson I eventually learned was inspired by a quote from the legendary writer Kurt Vonnegut:
“When things are going sweetly and peacefully, please pause a moment, and then say out loud, ‘If this isn’t nice, what is?'”
That is…if I can’t find enjoyment in this moment here and now…no matter how simple it is…when will I ever be able to?
In short, I realized that no amount of objective things or accomplishments was going to give me happiness or contentment. I didn’t have to earn this right for myself–I had to grant it. And that didn’t require millions of dollars, millions of books sold, or millions of Facebook followers. I’ll gladly take all that too, but I no longer hold my conscience hostage against these milestones.
I still feel the same pressures as I’ve always felt…pressure to be more…do more…have more…but I have a new way of dealing with them. When they weigh a bit too heavily, I stop and ask, “If this isn’t nice, what is?”
If watching a Star Wars cartoon with my son isn’t nice, what is?
If sneaking away for a dinner date with my wife isn’t nice, what is?
If playing this round of golf with my dad isn’t nice, what is?
If doing work I love, just for its own sake, isn’t nice, what is?
It all comes down to how we choose to perceive our lives and the world around us. And it’s captured nicely in the following quote:
“If the day and the night are such that you greet them with joy, and life emits a fragrance like flowers and sweet-scented herbs, is more elastic, more starry, more immortal — that is your success.”
Anyone can do this, regardless of their circumstances. And those that can are far better off than those that can’t.
What do you think about finding contentment and enjoyment? Have anything else to share? Let me know in the comments below!
Legion Featured Author
Mike Matthews
Mike Matthews is the founder of Legion as well as the author of several award-winning fitness books, including Bigger Leaner Stronger, Muscle for Life, and The Shredded Chef.
His simple and science-based approach to building muscle, losing fat, and getting healthy has sold over a million books and helped thousands of people build their best bodies ever, and his work has been featured in many popular outlets including Esquire, Men’s Health, Elle, Women’s Health, Muscle & Strength, and more, as well as on FOX and ABC.
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We just . . . wait for it . . . give you your money back. No returns. No forms. No nonsense. Holy moo cows.
That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
Free Worldwide Shipping & Returns
Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free!
Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, if you live in the UK or Canada, your order ships free when it’s over $99.
Why the restriction on international orders? Unfortunately, shipping abroad is very expensive, and if we didn’t require a minimum order size, we’d lose a lot of money. But! We're also hustling to improve our international logistics and will be passing our savings along to our international customers.
Also, if you don’t absolutely love our stuff for whatever reason, we don’t request you deliver it to a PO box in the Gobi Desert by carrier pigeon.
We just . . . wait for it . . . give you your money back. No returns. No forms. No nonsense. Holy moo cows.
That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
Free Worldwide Shipping & Returns
Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free!
Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, if you’re outside the USA, your order ships free when it’s over $199.
Why the restriction on international orders? Unfortunately, shipping abroad is very expensive, and if we didn’t require a minimum order size, we’d lose a lot of money. But! We're also hustling to improve our international logistics and will be passing our savings along to our international customers.
Also, if you don’t absolutely love our stuff for whatever reason, we don’t request you deliver it to a PO box in the Gobi Desert by carrier pigeon.
We just . . . wait for it . . . give you your money back. No returns. No forms. No nonsense. Holy moo cows.
That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
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That’s why we test every ingredient of every supplement we produce for heavy metals, microbes, allergens, and other contaminants and ensure they meet the strict purity standards set by the FDA.
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No Chemical Junk
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That’s why all of our ingredients in all of our products come from plant and animal sources, including sweeteners, colors, and flavors.
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In consideration of the services and/or products offered by Legion Athletics, Inc. (“Legion”) including, but not limited to, nutrition plans, exercise routines and coaching, and in addition to the payment of any fee or charge:
I knowingly and voluntarily enter into this waiver and release of liability and hereby waive any and all rights, claims or causes of action of any kind whatsoever arising out of my use of Legion’s services and/or products, and I hereby release and hold harmless Legion and its consultants, officers, contractors, agents, owners and employees from any and all responsibility, liability, cost and expenses, including for injuries, damages or disorders (physical, metabolic, or otherwise), resulting from my use of Legion’s services and/or products.
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Some popular pre-workouts are all-natural. Some contain the right mix of high-quality ingredients. Some provide clinically effective doses. But only Pulse checks each of these boxes.
Pulse doesn’t just “contain natural ingredients''—every ingredient is naturally sourced from plants and animals. Pulse contains no artificial or synthetic substances of any kind.
Every serving of Pulse contains 15.1 grams of active ingredients that have been shown to be safe and effective in peer-reviewed scientific research.
Every active ingredient in Pulse is backed by published scientific studies that show benefits in healthy humans.
Pulse contains no harsh stimulants that wind you up and burn you out. Instead, it contains a 1:1 ratio of caffeine and L-theanine, which produces a smooth energy rush and comfortable comedown.
We carefully examined 508 pages of scientific research to find out exactly what should and shouldn’t be in a pre-workout supplement.
Every bottle of Pulse is guaranteed to provide exactly what the label claims and nothing else—no heavy metals, microbes, allergens, or other contaminants.
While these types of chemicals may not be as dangerous as some people claim, studies suggest that regular consumption of them may indeed be harmful to our health. And that’s why we don’t put any of them into our products.
Before you buy a sports supplement, you should know that it's clean, safe, and transparent. And that's exactly what Labdoor's third-party testing and certification means.
It's hard to know for sure, but this probably makes Pulse the most-popular all-natural pre-workout supplement in the world.
If you don’t absolutely love this product, just let us know, and we’ll give you a full refund on the spot. No forms or return necessary.
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Analyzed for purity and potency in a state-of-the-art ISO 17025 accredited lab by Labdoor™, the gold standard of third-party lab testing.
Analyzed for purity and potency in a state-of-the-art ISO 17025 accredited lab, the gold standard of third-party lab testing.
This product doesn’t just “contain natural ingredients”—every ingredient is naturally sourced from plants and animals. This product contains no artificial or synthetic sweeteners or flavors of any kind.
Our scientific review board of nutritionists, dietitians, molecular biologists, doctors, and other accredited experts is responsible for reviewing every article, podcast, and video we produce to ensure they’re evidence based, accurate, trustworthy, and current.
Thanks to their connections, credentials, and academic experience, this team of MDs, PhDs, and other professionals has access to a wealth of research published in the largest and most prestigious journals in the world.
This allows them to not only review individual studies but also analyze the overall weight of the evidence on any and all topics related to diet, exercise, supplementation, and more.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, misleading, out-of-date, or anything less than factual, please let us know in the comments section of the article in question.
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We follow a detailed, rigorous, multi-step process to create content that meets the highest standards of clarity, practicality, and scientific integrity.
First, our research associates provide our editorial team with accurate, up-to-date, proven scientific evidence.
Then, our editorial team uses this research to draft articles and outlines for podcasts and videos.
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If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, misleading, out-of-date, or anything less than factual, please let us know in the comments section of the article in question.
