Was That It?

David Duval experienced an eye-opener when he won his first major tournament in 2001, the British Open. "What", he said to himself when he was back at his hotel after the win, "was that it?" Perhaps a strange reaction, given that many have a honeymoon feeling for a while when they finally get what they were longing for. But  eventually the 'been there, done that' feeling kicks in for everyone.

I was in attending a presentation in our investment forum and received a big compliment in front of all my peers the other day. It felt pleasant, and certainly a whole lot better than criticism would have, but the feeling of satisfaction was nowhere nearly as gratifying as I would have thought during the time when I was striving for recognition. David Duval's  "What, was that it" comes to mind.

Desires are fleeting, they come and go. At one stage of your life they mean the world, at a different stage they mean very little. How will you feel after all your drives have been digested? A state of serenity and peace should follow. Surely, you must have some areas in your life that give you a taste of how this state of mind feels like. 'Wealth' is such an area for me. I feel well-off independent of whether I have money or not, and have felt that way most of my life. With no longer anything to prove to anyone, you can just enjoy what you are.