Progress or Comfort?

Happiness… Progress or Comfort? (It’s not what you think)

What really makes us happy?
Is it doing what’s hard and making progress,
or doing what’s easy and being comfortable?

We’re happy when our expectations are met or exceeded.
That happens when we compare:

• What we think will happen

• With what actually happens

This is called the reward prediction error and it’s at the heart of how our brain measures satisfaction.

When we fall short of our predicted reward, we feel disappointed and become less likely to repeat that behaviour.
But when reality beats our expectation, the “error” works in our favour, giving us a bigger reward than we predicted.
That’s the feeling we call happiness and it motivates us to repeat that behaviour.

So, what’s the easiest way to feel happy more often?
It’s not progress (gasp).
But it’s not comfort either (wait, what?!).

Both can miss the mark.
Progress can bring long-term satisfaction, but it’s full of struggle, setbacks, and unmet expectations.
Comfort gives short-term relief but little surprise.

The truth is… it’s not what we chase, but how we set our expectations.

When we expect perfection in progress, we’ll always be disappointed by the dips.
When we expect constant comfort, we’ll always be frustrated by life’s friction.

But when we expect learning, small wins, and a bit of mess along the way...
that’s when happiness gives a big thumbs up!

Conclusion:
Happiness isn’t found in progress or comfort alone.
It’s found in alignment.

When your expectations match reality just enough to surprise you in a good way, you create the conditions for lasting joy.

So don’t chase perfection in progress.
And don’t chase comfort.

Chase the small wins you didn’t see coming.
They’re the ones that make you smile twice as wide.