T. Harv Eker delivers a short motivational monologue arguing that true happiness exists only in the present moment. Using audience prompts and examples of common postponed-happiness beliefs, he claims that "tomorrow" is imaginary and that habitual thinking determines future emotional states. His central prescription: practice happiness now, because "practice makes permanent," so practicing unhappiness now guarantees future unhappiness.
Chapters
Have you ever thought or said or heard someone say something like, I'll really be happy when this happens? Or when that happens? For example, when I get a promotion, when I start my own business, when the kids move out. Once, once I graduate, I'll really be happy when I get a boyfriend or a girlfriend, or when I get married, or then for some, it's when I get unmarried. Right. In other words, do you know people, or maybe even yourself, who have postponed being fully happy or even being happier for another time? My guess is that most of you can relate. Yes or yes. Okay, so here we go. We're going to do a little experiment. Are you ready? I want you to nod your head up and down like you're saying yes. Go ahead and do that now. Nod your head up and down. Good. Do that. You're great. Good job. Now I want you to nod your head up and down tomorrow. Go ahead and do that, please. Nod your head up and down tomorrow. Hmm. Are you having a little challenge with this? I would think so. And the reason you're having a challenge is because it's impossible. It's impossible because tomorrow doesn't actually exist in the real world. Tomorrow only exists in your imagination, in your head. True or true? Bottom line, the only time that is actually real in your entire life is right now. Everything else is either imagination or a memory, both of which only exist in your mind. And therefore, since now is the only time that is real, if you want real happiness, then the only time you can experience that real happiness is when? Right now. How many people are constantly waiting for some time in the future to be happy? Or at least happier? Our entire culture revolves around being happy in the future. When you stop and think about it, it's kind of insane, isn't it? I mean, how do you be happy in the future? You couldn't even nod your head in the future, and you want to base your entire life of happiness on a future that doesn't exist anywhere but inside your head? Hmm. Okay, Harv, I get it. If I want to be happy, it can only be now. But I also want to be. Make. Be happy in the future. I want to make sure I'm happy in the future. I mean, I spend a lot of time and energy on that. I'm working and planning and setting up my life so that I can be happier in the future than I am now. You and 7 billion other people just like you, you want to ensure you're happy and hopefully even more happy in the future. Yes, I get it. So would you like to know the secret to making absolutely sure you are totally happy in the future? Here it is. If you want to be happy in the future, you have to be happy now. Why? Because we are creatures. Of what? Habit. Thank you. Have you ever heard that practice makes perfect? It's complete bs. Practice does not make perfect. Practice makes permanent. And the more unhappy you are now, the more that way of being ingrained in you and the better you get at it. And again, try as you might want to be truly happy in the future, you won't be able to. Why? Because you're not good at it. To the contrary, you're an expert at unhappiness. And so unhappy you will be forever. And it doesn't matter that later on you have a lot more money, or a nicer house, or wonderful grandkids, or more free time to do whatever you want. Of course, your mind will have you believe that when all this great stuff happens, you're going to change. But it's a lie. Again. You are a creature of habit. And your habit comes from repetition. And so, regardless of your future circumstances, your mind will somehow, some way, make sure you are unhappy. What's the word? Unhappy. Because you are wired now to be unhappy. Remember, practice makes permanent. If you practice being unhappy now, you can virtually guarantee you'll be unhappy later. If you practice bitching and complaining now, you can guarantee you'll be bitching and complaining later. If you practice negativity now, you can guarantee you'll be negative later. Regardless. I repeat, regardless of your circumstances in life. Because it's not about the circumstances. You is about the way you think. And the way you think is habitual. If you want to be happy later, practice happiness now. Not only does happiness only exist in the now, but it better exist in the now if you want to be happy in the future.
