Quote of the Day: Marie Curie on the Hidden Trap of Ambition

Imagine this: you have just ticked off the most demanding task you have been working on for a week, but instead of appreciating the work you did, you are stressed about ten other new things left to be done.

Does it sound familiar?

Indeed, it is a frustrating cycle that makes you feel that you might not be doing enough.

This was the exact same situation that happened to one of the century's brilliant scientific minds, Marie Curie, who, along with his husband Pierre Curie, discovered Radium. 

Today’s quote of the day is all about understanding burnout and appreciating exactly how far you have come. 

Quote of the Day by Marcus Aurelius!

Quote of the Day by Marie Curie

“One never notices what has been done; one can only see what remains to be done.”

-Marie Curie

Quote of the Day: Meaning

This quote by Marie Curie captures the forward-looking nature of human ambition. Once we reach a milestone, our brains quickly categorise the achievement as the new normal and set our sights on the next thing.

We stop paying attention to what we have already accomplished; instead, we seek to establish new milestones.

It is highly relatable in the modern context, where hustling has become the new normal. This quote hits the right chords. 

When you have so much on your plate, it is normal to feel like you are never doing anything significant. But what you fail to see is that the finish line keeps on expanding.

Quote of the Day by Michael Jordan

Application of this Quote in Your Life

Take a moment to reflect on your tasks for the day; you might feel overwhelmed when you look at a long list of pending tasks. Sounds relatable?

If so, pause and ask yourself: Am I giving myself credit for what I did yesterday, or a week before that? 

Now, write down three important things that you did that were actually an accomplishment. Do it consciously to train your brain to start acknowledging the progress.

Practice the concept of Reverse Gap, where instead of measuring the gap between where you are and where you ultimately want to be, start measuring the gap between where you are now and where you started.

Celebrate the growth, and stop looking at the pending list.

If you are that person, or know someone who is working hard yet discontent, share this with them and ask them to pause and celebrate their small wins.

So, what is one major accomplishment you have "stopped noticing" lately?

Quote of the Day by Eric Dane

Quote of the Day by Morgan Freeman: The Power of Being Still