In Greek mythology there is a character by the name of Sisyphus. He was the king of Corinth, and he is accused of cheating death twice in his life. The god Zeus levies an eternal punishment on Sisyphus. He must roll a large stone up a hill, only for it to roll back to the bottom every time he gets close to the top, where he starts the process all over again.
People are good at picking their hill, their stone, and their process of pushing. People generally don’t deal well with the stone rolling back down the hill. They believe that when they get the stone to the top of the hill, their work will be finished, and they will be satisfied. They struggle to accept the reality that the stone always rolls back down the hill.
Accomplishing a goal can bring about a lot of happiness in the short term, but when the stone begins to roll back down the hill, where does your spirit, mind and resolve go? Are you sad that this happiness isn’t lasting? Are you mad you have to start pushing again? Are you surprised that your hill’s summit was more of an allusion – just the foot of an even bigger hill? For many, this is a massive struggle after a goal is met. Depression can set in, and dopamine levels can plummet.
To live a life of deep, lasting joy, learning to actually fall in love with pushing the stone is important. Understand that pushing the stone will always be required.
The only constant anyone has is the unending struggle for improvement, in all areas of life. If this life is about destinations, you will end up lost. The pushing is the pleasure.
The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man’s heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.
Albert Camus
Braden Bristo’s - The Journeyman’s Path 