What do Lottery Winners, paraplegics and Marty McFly, have in common?
Winning the lottery sounds like a great and amazing thing…until you look at a lot of the research around it…then we find that most winners end up not happy after about 6 months and often go broke (again?) within 2 years…
Becoming a paraplegic sounds awful and it is according to my clients…but by the same token after some period of time it becomes the new normal and they find themselves closer and closer to their old happiness levels.
And Marty McFly? Well, he thinks fixing one little thing in the past will make his future perfect, only to find out that every tweak just leads to another mess. Turns out, no amount of hoverboards or DeLoreans will fix the core problem.
This is the hedonic treadmill in action. Basically no matter how much you gain (or lose) in life, your current circumstances eventually don’t matter and you go back to your baseline happiness. It’s why Tony Stark can save the world multiple times and still be neurotic, and why 2015 me would kill to have the revenue #s of 2018 me…but 2018 me was still miserable. But also why people can survive the worst things that happen to them.
But here’s the good news: You can get off the treadmill. Let’s talk about five actionable steps you can take to break free from the cycle and find real, lasting satisfaction.
5 Steps to Break Free from the Hedonic Treadmill (With a Law Firm Twist)
1. Set Intentional Goals
Example: You’re Tony Stark with 50 Iron Man suits and still feeling like you’re missing something… Maybe that’s because you’re chasing the wrong goals and should instead focus on finding love?
Law Firm Example: If you’re just chasing more cases, more money, more growth without knowing why, you’re going to get more…more problems and more burn out. At least that’s what happened to me before I changed my mindset of MORE to a mindset of more of the RIGHT things (and a mindset of less of the WRONG things).
The Fix: Be crystal clear on what your goals are and why they matter to you. Instead of saying, “I need more cases,” ask yourself, “What kind of cases make me excited to go to work every day?” Don’t let your goals be dictated by external pressures—make sure they align with your values and the kind of life you actually want to live. If you’re stuck on this, look up SMART goals and try to incorporate these instead of just “MORE.”
2. Practice Gratitude – Daily
Example: Think about Peter Parker. He goes from having nothing but web shooters and a heart of gold to getting a sweet suit from Tony Stark in Spider-Man: Homecoming. But even then, he still struggles with not being “enough.” His mistake? Not focusing on what he already had—his smarts, his values, and a loving Aunt May.
Law Firm Example: If you’re always focused on landing that “next big client,” you’ll never feel content with your wins. Instead, take a moment to appreciate the clients you already have and the success you’ve already achieved. Just like Peter Parker, you’re stronger than you realize—you just need to remind yourself of that more often.
The Fix: Gratitude is your ticket off the treadmill. Research shows that practicing gratitude regularly can increase your baseline happiness. Take time every day to reflect on what’s going well in your law firm and personal life. The cases you have, the clients who appreciate you, the team that supports you—it’s all worth celebrating. My family does this at the dinner table – 3 things we are grateful for and 1 thing we could have done better from the day.
3. Focus on Process, Not Just Results
Example: Batman doesn’t just fight crime because he wants results; he’s committed to the process. Whether it’s learning new combat techniques or using his detective skills to solve a case, Bruce Wayne knows the journey is where real satisfaction lies.
Law Firm Example: You might be working on a big case or growing your firm, but don’t just look for the day it’s over. Instead, find satisfaction in the steps along the way—whether it’s refining your strategy, mentoring a junior associate, or delivering a strong argument. The destination is important, but the journey is where growth happens.
The Fix: Find joy in the daily grind. If you’re only focused on the next big win, you’ll miss out on all the small victories along the way. Take pride in the effort, not just the outcome. This is where true fulfillment lies—when you’re able to enjoy the process, not just the result. This comes back to my three questions
1) How much $$$ do you NEED to make?
2) When do you WANT to work?
3) What work do you WANT to be doing?
Think of those questions as your GPS directing you towards happiness. So everytime that you are down, you can look back and see how much closer you are to where you want to be (or if you are struggling with a decision ask if it gets you closer to living the answer to those 3 questions).
4. Declutter Your Goals and Focus on What Really Matters
Example: In Avengers: Endgame, Tony Stark starts off with so many distractions—building new suits, worrying about Thanos, and trying to keep the Avengers together. But in the end, his most meaningful goal is simple: saving the world for his daughter. He’s laser-focused on that one purpose.
Law Firm Example: Maybe you don’t need a bigger office or 10 more employees. Maybe what you really need is to simplify your processes so you can work smarter, not harder. Focus on fewer, more intentional goals, and you’ll find that contentment isn’t as elusive as you thought.
The Fix: The more you try to juggle, the less effective you are. It’s like trying to build the entire Avengers team on your own—it’s impossible. Simplify your goals. Pick the ones that really matter and focus on them. You don’t need to be chasing five different things at once.
There’s a story from Warren Buffet talking to his personal pilot. The pilot lists out 25 goals, Warren has him pick the top 5 and focus only on those. And ACTIVELY avoid the other 20. I can’t say I have ever done this with 25 goals, but I have 100000000% focused on my one biggest problem, and moved the needle until something else was a bigger problem. And when doing this I was MUCH further along than when I tried to balance 75 different #1 goals/priorities.
5. Create Space for Reflection and Adjustments
Example: And of course our good buddy Dr Strange. Who on the one hand…used the Time Stone to figure out how there was a path to beating Thanos…and on the other hand tried to fix the past for Peter Parker, and instead ended up damaging the space time continuum and causing the death of Aunt May. I don’t think an hour or so to really think has the SAME optionality for you…but you’d be surprised how impact it can be!
The Fix: At the end of every quarter, sit down and reflect on where your firm is headed. Are you pursuing cases that align with your goals? Is your growth sustainable, or are you stretching yourself too thin? By creating space for reflection, you can make sure you’re always moving in the right direction—and not just running in place.
Then do the same thing for your life.
Conclusion: It’s About Intentionality, Not Chasing “More”
The hedonic treadmill is tricky—you think more cases, more revenue, or a bigger office will make you happy, but they won’t. You’ll always return to your baseline unless you take steps to break free. By setting intentional goals, practicing gratitude, enjoying the process, simplifying your focus, and reflecting regularly, you can step off the treadmill and build a law firm (and life) you genuinely enjoy.
Until then, keep your cape ready and your goals intentional!