Contentment can easily be misunderstood.
Before I jump into the misunderstanding that many people have concerning it, let me begin by saying that contentment is desired by most people.
A definition might be helpful. To be content is to feel or show satisfaction with one’s possessions, status, or situation.
And there is a beautiful freedom that accompanies contentment: a freedom to be who you are, enjoy who you are, and live the life you were destined to live.
Most people, I believe, desire to be content with what they have.
But there still exists, it seems to me, a sneaking suspicion that contentment might lead to complacency. “If I was satisfied with all that I have, I would lose the drive to succeed,” some might think. And this whisper of uncertainty holds some people back.
For others, their fear of complacency results in them arguing against the entire idea of contentment. But I have found the exact opposite to be true.
Contentment isn’t about giving up or not wanting more. It’s actually a powerful force that can lay the groundwork and the inspiration to reach higher heights than we ever dreamed.
Contentment doesn’t squelch ambition. Contentment fuels it.
Contentment isn’t about settling. It’s about recognizing what you already have, valuing it, and deciding to make the most out of it.
And correctly understood, it’s acknowledging that while you have enough, you also have so much potential that’s waiting to be unlocked.
Here’s how:
When we are content, we better focus our energy on what truly matters. When we’re no longer pursuing endless material acquisitions, we’re able to redirect our efforts towards our passions. We get to invest our time, our resources, and ourselves in the things that bring real meaning and fulfillment in our lives.
Contentment leads us to make deliberate choices about how we spend our lives. No longer are we running the rat race, trying to keep up with everyone else. We choose our own path—embracing what gives us meaning, and letting go of what doesn’t.
A mindset of abundance brings ambition because we are not acting out of scarcity, but out of gratitude for what we already have, enthusiasm for what we can achieve, and a desire to share our gifts with others.
Even more, contentment compels us to redefine success. When we are no longer tied down by society’s expectations of what we should be or how we should spend our time and money, we’re free to set our own goals and aspirations. We get to decide what matters to us, what success looks like, and what kind of life we want to lead.
And contentment sparks perseverance. You see, as we learn to be satisfied with what we have, we become better equipped to deal with life’s ups and downs. We’re more prepared to tackle obstacles and to persist in the face of adversity because nobody’s life has been perfectly easy, and yet the secret of contentment was found.
It would be wise for all of us to redefine what it means to be content. Contentment isn’t about giving up on our dreams or settling for less. It’s about appreciating what we have, recognizing our potential, dreaming even bigger dreams for our lives, and channeling our resources into our most meaningful ambitions.
Contentment doesn’t drain ambition from our lives. It fuels it.
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Related reading: Contentment: How to Find This Unmistakable Freedom
Michael Wheeler says
I’ve questioned myself in reference to content becoming more of ‘complacency’ but taking a few steps back and reflecting on where I am and how my internal feelings I say NO it’s not a complacent status it’s my heart speaking loudly, ‘you where you need to be and deep inside you are very happy, at peace and remain balanced and clear minded.
Aviva Black says
We’re taught to seek happiness. Our parents just want us to be happy. It’s wonderful to be happy, for sure. But aim for contentment, which possesses equanimity.
Abdulhakeem says
So well said. I did have this doubt early on but as I felt more content and filled with gratitude for what I have, a big burden lifted off my shoulders and I am not in the rat race for more and more of worldly accumulation. I am able to channel my energy and focus to better things in life!
John P. Weiss says
Joshua- Your wisdom about contentment calls to mind the following quote:
“A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one’s neighbor-such is my idea of happiness.”-Leo Tolstoy
Julie Johnson says
Joshua, I want my message to you to be private. If this is possible, please let me know. Thank you
Judy says
Hi Julie, same. I reached out to them when I was on the parkway during the weekend. Hopefully they will soon reach back to us. I think there is another 800 available. Just Google it – Judy
Cynthia Helton says
I so wholeheartedly agree with what you’ve said here. I know undoubtedly that it’s true, because this is how I try my best to live, and it brings an element of joy (different from happiness) that bolsters my resolve each day. THAT SAID … this understanding has only arrived within me as I have become “elder;” retired from the working world; only my husband and I rattling around in this house without anyone else depending on us. Would I …COULD I have done this when I was younger with the world of work and family on my shoulders??? I don’t know. No one spoke of this to me then. I so sincerely hope that younger people see and read this so it won’t take them 75 years to realize this truth. … ps: I’m sharing this one!
Betsy says
Cynthia, I think living teaches us many lessons. The old saying “ with age comes wisdom “ is so true. I was so busy raising children and working that I never took the time to ask myself if I was happy or content. I’m retired now with less on my plate so I can see clearer now.
Tiffany Koch says
Thanks you Joshua for writing this! Our family enjoys watching your videos, listening to your audio book and I love these inspiring articles. I actually enjoy reading them most in the morning to start the day right. As a mom of 2 and 1 on the way it’s even more important for our family to focus on being content and understanding what we really value as we purge our home of unnecessary items before our third baby arrives. We are hopeful that minimizing before our little girl arrives will help us to have more focused attention on her needs and to enjoy the new joy God has blessed us with.
Have a fantastic and blessed week!
Thank you from the Koch family!
Anonymous says
Spot on.
Jo Ann says
Great article, Joshua. I especially like “when we are content, we better focus our energy on what truly matters”. How true ! How I lament that I never heard those inspiring words many years ago; my life would have taken a very different direction.
Thank you.
Judy says
Hi Joshua —- I get what you are saying. I’m happy in my little house. I feel very blessed.
Rae says
It was perfect timing for me to read this, I kid you not. I couldn’t pinpoint what was wanting to take place in my life, and now I know what it is that I’m aiming to do. I’m aiming to feel content. Living as a bottomless pit is not gratifying. Yearning for more even when I have enough is depressing. It feels empty. Living a satisfied life is my current aim. The rat race is not worth trying to keep up with, I’ve found. Doing what everyone else does isn’t, for me, satisfying. I want to be different. I want to be a thinker, not a conformer. The status quo is, quite frankly, overrated. Besides, why would I want someone else who knows nothing about me to tell me what will make me happy? To tell me that in order to be happy, I have to constantly spend $ on stuff to ‘improve’ myself and/or my life? Marketers target me all of the time to have me fill out surveys about what I purchase, and how often – to help them create more crap that people think they need to be happy – to earn a few dollars. I quit giving into that crap. I see the setups, and it’s hard to escape them. My sanity is increasingly more and more valuable to me. Any chance I can take to break away from the noise, temptations, stimulation, advertisements, etc. I’m gone. Lol I kid you not, being in nature is the safest place to go in order to not be bombarded by the human race. I am content with living in a tiny space with access to a garden and a forest within 2 miles from where I live. Being true to myself and the planet, in general, makes me content. ☮️