It took me 25 years to realize what I'll tell you in 3 minutes

what if I told you that the happiest moment of your life has already happened but you were too busy chasing the future to notice it what if everything you're working towards right now everything you think will finally make you happy is actually the very thing holding you back from happiness I learned this the Hard Way 3 years ago I hit rock bottom picture me at 3:00 a.m. Mountain Dew in one hand phone in the other ordering my fifth takeout that week my room well my parents basement looked like a gaming cave empty energy drink cans

everywhere blinds permanent L shut and the only light coming from my triple monitor setup Running World of Warcraft I weighed 265 lb my bank account $43.80 my dating life let's just say my most meaningful relationship was with my RAID team but here's what I told myself every single night before falling asleep once I lose the weight get a job find a girlfriend and move out then I'll finally be happy then my real life can begin but then something clicked I started small really small switched one Monster Energy for water walked for 10 minutes around the

block applied for one job per day each tiny Victory felt amazing my heart would race every time I hit submit on a job application I'd get this weird flutter of excitement when I managed to walk further than the day before however the real breakthrough came from the most unexpected place my obsession with gaming see in World of Warcraft I'd spend months grinding for the best gear I'd tell myself once I get that legendary sword then I'll really enjoy the game but then what actually happened I'd get the sword stand in Stormwind showing it off for

a day and feel nothing the fun was never in having the gear like it was in the adventure of getting it fast forward a year and a half I'd lost 87 lbs had a decent job found an amazing girlfriend moved into my own place I was living the exact life I dreamed about in that basement but then I felt this emptiness creeping in the same emptiness I felt after getting that legendary sword that's when it finally hit me I was happiest during those first walks around the block heart pounding legs shaking during those nerve-wracking moments

before hittings end on a job application even during those awkward first conversations with girls sweaty palms and all the joy wasn't in reaching the goals it was in pursuing them here's the mind-blowing part you know those people you follow on Instagram the ones with the perfect bodies dream jobs and seemingly perfect lives I guarantee you they're either feeling that same emptiness or they're already chasing their next goal because that's the secret nobody tells you there is no finish line there's no point where you suddenly unlock permanent happiness so what's the solution two things first always

have something you're actively pursuing maybe it's learning to cook more than just microwave meals maybe it's finally reading that book that's been sitting on your nightstand maybe it's learning three chords on that dusty guitar in your closet the size of the goal doesn't matter like what matters is having something that pulls you forward but then here's the bigger truth and this is crucial stop waiting to live that voice in your head saying I'll be happy when it's lying to you the life of your dreams isn't waiting at some future Milestone it's waiting in those small

moments of progress in those tiny victories in those heart-racing moments when you're pushing just slightly past your comfort zone tomorrow morning you could wake up and start living the life of your dreams not because you'll suddenly have everything you want but then because you'll finally understand that the dream life is in the pursuit itself it's in the journey the growth the daily small winds and yes even in the failures that make you stronger with that said thanks for watching and until next time