Why Wanting It More Isn't The Answer

How badly you want something is often seen as an indicator of how likely you might be to succeed. It’s quite hard to argue against the fact that wanting something more will result in you doing more of what’s required to get it.

It could even be said that this is more relevant when chasing something long-term, as the more you want it, the longer you’ll be willing to chase it.

There’s one small caveat, though, and it’s that sometimes these long-term goals can take decades to achieve.

Being desperate for something might make you work harder, it may even make you work harder for longer, but sometimes, the time it takes to acquire something and the patience it takes can trump any amount of desperation.

There’s an important distinction here, and it’s that I’m by no means suggesting that wanting something less is the answer, or that wanting something a lot is inherently bad. The point is, the expectation of how long it takes, or at least how long you’re willing to wait, needs to be extended.

My point is, it really doesn’t matter how badly you want something if you’re stuck thinking in a matter of months, or even years. Sometimes you need to be thinking in decades.

It’s not “How good am I”, it’s “How good can I be in 10 years?”

It’s not “Will I succeed?” it’s “How much more likely will it be for me to succeed if I keep improving for 10 years?”

I get it, this can’t be used with everything, but it can be applied to more things than it can't.

You need to extend your time horizon.

Most people want to get in shape for the upcoming summer, but what about the tens of summers after that? And isn’t the point of being in shape to be healthy? And isn’t the point of being healthy to be so forever?

Same with business or career pursuits: some people quit before they even consider doing it for 10 years… but you can either get it in 10 years... or quit, and never get it at all.

This mindset shift is more than just a simple exercise. By constantly asking yourself the 10-year questions and thinking in terms of decades, you start to develop a truly solidified sense of purpose and direction.

Injuries have less effect.

Setbacks seem smaller.

Any lack of skill no longer reflects your chances of success.

Thinking in decades truly expands not only what you are capable of, but what you think you’re capable of too.

Because without the latter, the former remains hypothetical, in other words, irrelevant.

So the next time you hit a roadblock, or pick up an injury, or doubt your abilities, just ask yourself the following question:

Where will I be if I keep going for the next 10 years?