Fulfillment, depression, and mental health
Fulfillment & Depression
A cautionary tale
I like to think I’ve been pretty open about this in the past…
But I know I could talk about it more (especially if it’s just to reach that one person who’s struggling) so here we go…
The first time I vividly remember feeling depressed was when I was 23 years old.
It was 2011. I had 4 student franchisees who were rockin’ it.
It was the first time I was making “passive income” (something I’d admired Tim Ferris for for years).
I was sitting at my desk in my upstairs office in the rental house I was living in at the time… and I realized: I had accomplished my goal.
I set this goal when I was around 13. It felt like a lifetime ago…
… I was finally able to survive on my own and not have to work.
You think I’d be happy, right?
I was miserable.
I think I cried…
…Yeah no.. I’ll be honest… I cried…
I was really confused.
I worked so hard to get here and I expected happiness, elation… at least, satisfaction. I achieved my goal.
It was frustrating. And I didn’t figure it out until years later.
As the years went by, I noticed a trend of life peaks being the most depressing times.
When things fell apart, I was motivated. I wanted to get to those peaks again. But then, when I got there, it just kind of sucked. I started to ask myself: what is the point?
I’m not sure that there was any specific turning point or if it was more gradual.
Helping the franchisees grow and learn meant a lot to me. I loved watching them run their own businesses and get that thrill from it. I deeply cared about my friends and family around me.
As I reflected on things, I noticed another trend: When I prioritized selfless endeavors, I had fulfillment.
This, by no means, was a quick-fix solution for overcoming depression. Those depressing moments didn’t just vanish. But it helped.
Some big shifts I had included:
→ Taking responsibility for my client’s satisfaction, not just their lawns.
→ Joining a mastermind and adding value to other business owners’ lives.
→ Adopting a growth mindset instead of a scarcity mindset.
→ Valuing people and experiences over accumulating “stuff.”
All of this is to say… If you’re struggling, know you aren’t alone, and know it does get better.
Reach out for support (the LL group has got tons of it!)
And I hope some of the above helped, even a little bit.
Progress is never linear.
Perfection doesn’t exist.
Life is tough.
But we are all in this together, as cliche as that sounds.
I love this community we’ve created. So… thank you for being here with me. Thanks for sharing your stories and advice. Let’s continue supporting each other.