Keys to Happiness: Realistic Expectations

Forget your troubles come on get happy! For this six week series, we'll discover some of the keys to happiness!

Several years after I had graduated from college, I was part of a career fair where I discussed a career in radio. When I asked the teens what kind of radio career they wanted, many had the same answer. They wanted to dee jay at a top station in New York.

When I pressed them further, I found their career plans to be rather straight-forward. Attend college. Work at the college radio station. Graduate. Move to New York City and be the morning drive deejay at a popular radio station.

Truthfully, I told them they'd have to work up to working in New York - the number one radio market in the country. Truthfully, they'd have to start in smaller markets, gain experience and hone their crafts before making it to The Big Time.

Some were discouraged, thinking that all that work sounded hard and not much fun. Others were determined they'd be the exception.

My intent was not to discourage, dissuade or detour anyone but to create realistic expectations. Realistic expectations are an antidote to frustration. Truthfully, most success takes time and realistic expectations allow you to buckle down for a long ride.

They also give you milestones you can get excited about. These smaller, more achievable goals make happiness and excitement possible. Happiness comes in savoring the steps and small victories on the pathway to success.

Whether your goal is losing weight, saving money, going back to school, getting married, going on the trip of a lifetime, or dominating the airwaves in the Big Apple, the first key to your success and happiness around that subject is to set realistic expectations.

Ask any overnight success and he'll tell you that success happened over many nights!