Satisfaction = What you Have (divided by) What you Want

—Arthur C. Brooks, American social scientist, musician, and columnist

The satisfaction equation looks so simple. All we need to do is acknowledge all we have, divide it by our wants, and make sure the result is a number that puts a smile on our face when we brush our teeth before bed.

We could easily do a fast status check and feel OK, or we could do a more thorough analysis to optimize our results.  Consider digging deeper here and actually do the math.

Take two separate sheets of paper with the headings What I Have and What I Want at the top. Place these sheets in a location where you will see them throughout your day. For the next few days, jot down items on each list. Keep asking yourself What Else? before you move on to other matters.

EXERCISE:

Before you do the division problem, consider how a little addition or subtraction might increase your satisfaction.