Satisfaction, that longed for, elusive feeling!

Satisfaction. It’s that mystical, fleeting sensation we all chase, like trying to catch a beautiful, rare butterfly in a howling gale!

Would getting the perfect job, the perfect body or be in a perfect relationship, be the only way to feel satisfied? I personally don’t believe that the perfect job, body or relationship exists, but perhaps I’m just a cynic! However, I do believe that a sense of achievement is far greater when you’ve actively strived for something than when it’s attained without effort.

Mick Jagger’s song ‘I can get no satisfaction’ is a powerful expression of frustration, disillusionment and rebellion. It’s a desperate cry from someone feeling constantly unfulfilled. This is probably why the song is so enduring. It’s the suspicion that something is missing even though the singer seems to have it all. The song captures why so many of us strive for satisfaction which remains so illusive. We live in a world constantly chasing gratification, viral fame and easy money. We risk becoming like king Midas whose golden touch turned even love to a lifeless metal. He got everything that he wished for and it cost him everything that mattered.

I’ve often wondered if satisfaction, happiness and contentment are all related. Do we need happiness and contentment before we can feel satisfied? I looked up the definitions of each. Happiness is an intense and often fleeting emotion, usually short-lived. Contentment is a deeper, more stable state of being at peace, an acceptance, not dependent on constant achievement or excitement. Satisfaction is goal orientated and reflective so it is a standalone emotion. It’s only felt when expectations are met, tasks completed and desires achieved. That has answered my question. They can all be felt independently. Optimists see satisfaction as a destination, idealists treat it like a human right, pessimists just shrug it off with a ‘good while it lasted’ attitude.

A serious thought. Many philosophers claim that satisfaction is a virtue. Could this be true? Possibly. If it arises from inner peace, self-discipline or a deep alignment with one’s values that could be called virtuous. Perhaps it’s just learning to accept enough and not always striving for more? As with all things in life, balance is important. By resisting excess and appreciating sufficiency, satisfaction could be more easily attainable.

Satisfaction doesn’t have to mean settling. The truly satisfied people I know aren’t lazy, they’re clear and focussed. They’ve stopped comparing themselves to others. They’ve accepted and are happy with who they are. When you’re my age settling can’t happen by default because I’m not afraid to ask for more and my out loud voice is harder to control.

So whether it’s the first cup of coffee in the morning, the sweet victory of finding both socks from the same pair or finally getting your phone updated without breaking everything, satisfaction comes in all shapes and sizes.

Satisfaction may have eluded Mick Jagger but maybe that’s the point. It’s not in the next big thing. It’s not in striving for perfection, the perfect body or the perfect job. It’s in that pause between wanting and having enough. 👠