Levels Of Satisfaction

There must be several levels of satisfaction I guess. What I am interested in is knowing what are the things that give us the most satisfaction. Let me see how this goes. I'll try and figure this out as I go.

Satisfaction - The Achievement of Goals
Satisfaction probably happens when you get what you want. At least momentarily (until the next want appears and then you are unsatisfied again). It is connected with things we wish to acquire, to achieve. Things we set out as goals sometimes, as wishes - I wish I could go on a world tour, I wish I had a Merc - kind of wishes. So, if we have a set of goals, and we achieve them, we are likely to get satisfaction.

Borrowed goals - Strike Them Off
But if the goals tend to be unrealistic or things that we have borrowed from others, then they will remain unfulfilled goals which will cause a sense of dissatisfaction. So, it is necessary to quickly run through the list and see if we really want some of the goals. (I mean, I am not sure if I want to travel across the world now. I am quite content to see what comes my way - I really don't see myself aggressively running around the world, ticking off things I visited.) So that goes off my list (and even that gives me satisfaction of not carrying a big burden of seeing the world). Now after the list gets shorter, thanks to goals eliminated by lack of desire.

Goals With No Belief - Off They Go
Then we have goals that we would like to achieve but do not have the belief that they will ever come true. I would like to be the richest man, or I would like to have mansions in all countries or have a resort on top of the Everest or something like that. Things which you would like to have but seriously doubt you will ever get. I mean, if you even considered these seriously, I mean close your eyes and actually see yourself having them and seeing all the attendant pros and cons, you may get burdened by the actual thought of possessing these. For example being the richest man brings a whole lot of work, responsibilities and dangers arising from protecting the riches. Or if fame is what you wanted, but you do not like constant public life, then maybe it should go off the list. So if belief does not hold, off goes a few more goals.

Your Goals  - Call To Action
Then come those goals and wishes that you want but you do not feel like working hard for them. No action from you means it is not for you. I guess the dreams that really come true, the ones that you care for and go for, are the ones that make you act instantly, for long, without reward. Things you'd like to do because you care for them. And these are generally in the realm that others call crazy. But at least, you now have a set of goals that are yours, that make you believe in and that make you act. These can be used to reduce level of dissatisfaction and work for their fulfilment.

Satisfaction - 2 Ways Of Being Satisfied
Now satisfaction comes in two ways - one on being satisfied with what you have and whatever comes your way and two, wanting a certain life and going about getting it. Both are equally difficult I should think. It is almost impossible to live in this world and be happy with all that comes your way. There are too many temptations, too many desires, too much choice. On the other hand getting all that you want also seems difficult because of the limitations, firstly, of our own consciousness, of time and energy. But let's say, if we have a list of things that we really want, that we wish to act for, that we believe we can achieve and that are our own - then we could go after them. Normally they are all represented by one big goal and if we identify that soon, we are on our way. Say, if you have a lot of material things on your list, the big goal could be identifying a big source of money!

Levels of Achieving Goals
And here again come many ways to get it. One when it comes by its own. Life is a perpetual lottery of sorts that you keep winning and you enjoy it all - then your consciousness is wonderful and have a great time as destiny's child. You are not even thinking of words like Satisfaction. One other way could be if someone gave it gratis, or you got it off somehow. Here again there is an element of achievement, but satisfaction will never be full. The only way that can give a lot of satisfaction, is in having your own goals, those crazy goals, and going after them. Since they are your own goals you will give it your all, you leave no stone unturned. And then, when you get what you wanted, what you really wanted, then satisfaction rains down as sweetly as rain in a desert.

And if one can look back at the end of their life and feel that way - of having achieved what one set out to do, one can feel very satisfied. That is the highest level of satisfaction to me.

The Paradox
Funnily, as is often the case in life, it does not matter whether you achieved what you did or not. You would be happy with the effort you put in. With giving your 100% to it. And it also often happens that life gives you much more than you asked for, when you give yourself to what you really desire.