Emily McDonaldNeuroscientist + Mindset Coach | CEO & Founder @emonthebrain

There is something in your life that you used to dream about and now you have it

15 Oct 2026 · 1 min

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In this solo monologue, Emily McDonald reflects on a common paradox: many people achieve the goals they once dreamed of, only to immediately shift focus to the next ambition, never pausing to savor their accomplishments. She shares her own experience of building a life she loves, yet noticing a persistent inner voice that seeks flaws and new improvements. McDonald questions the purpose of relentless achievement when it prevents genuine enjoyment of the present, urging listeners to reconsider the habit of constant optimization and to allow themselves to truly live the lives they have created.

Chapters

There is probably something in your life right now that you used to dream about, something you used to wish for or pray for, or tell yourself, one day I will have that. And now you have it, but rather than enjoying it, you've already moved on to the next thing, the next goal or the next milestone or the next version of yourself. And I think so many of us have gotten caught up in this cycle of constantly achieving, optimizing, and improving our lives that we've forgotten to actually live them. I know this because I have caught myself doing it. I have spent years building a life that I genuinely love, and yet I've noticed that even when everything is going well, my brain still tries to find something to be dissatisfied with, something that needs fixing or something that I should be doing better. And lately I've been asking myself, what is the point of achieving your goals or creating your dream life if you never allow yourself to actually enjoy it?