Welcome to One Thing Better. Each week, the editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine (that's me) shares one way to achieve a breakthrough at work — and build a career or company you love.
Today's edition is sponsored by Stan Store, where I made $10,000 my first week. Details below!
You're busy. Really busy.
You're juggling projects and chasing goals. But if someone asked you, "What are you working towards?", you might struggle to answer.
Here's why: Specific goals aren't really what we want. They're just what we think will get us what we want — even if we have no idea what that is.
So, what are we actually working toward? I have a theory: I call it state of being.
A state of being is not a goal you achieve — it's a feeling you want to maintain consistently. It's how you want to experience your daily life.
Today, I'll help you identify yours — and then use this clarity to transform how you spend your time and energy.
But first, I'll tell you about a conversation that led to this revelation...
When the goalposts keep moving
I was recently catching up with an old friend, who runs a thriving business.
"I used to dream about earning the amount of money I earn now," she told me. "But now I just dream about earning more. I'm just not sure what's enough, or why I can't be satisfied."
I hear versions of this from many people: They achieved a goal, then just moved on to the next one. And it makes them feel guilty and lost.
Good news: I don't think this is a problem! I mean, what is the alternative? To sit still forever? To stop wanting?
Imagine a world in which we really did stop after reaching a goal. OK, so… which goal do we stop at? The one we set as teenagers? Our first really big goal? What does "big" even mean, when an original "big" goal will one day feel small?
Here's the thing: Our problem isn't wanting more. Our problem is understanding what we want.
That's what I told my friend.
"So what do you want?" she asked me.
I didn't have a good answer. But then it hit me...
I needed to find my everyday happiness
I realized that there are two types of happiness:
Spikes of happiness are one-time delights. A big accomplishment. A cool experience.
Everyday happiness is the brightest part of your regular, normal day.
Everyday happiness is more important, because it's more accessible and within our control. So what is it? What matters?
I thought about it for myself, and I came to a weird revelation: I am happiest when I am physically moving and intellectually stimulated.
Why? Because I hate sameness and routine. I love new ideas and experiences. I am restless and curious. So this combination works for me — and it is what I am always trying to maintain.
Which means...
This is my state of being
A state of being is the emotional and psychological environment you want to live in every day. It's not a goal to achieve once; it's a feeling to maintain.
Therefore, it is the reason you do other things — like taking on projects, or relationships, or whatever. They help you move towards, or help you maintain, your state of being.
So I started to ask myself: What is necessary to achieve my state of being? The answer is this:
I need to be in demand
I need to control my time
I need access to interesting people
This basically explains everything I do! Why do I write my One Thing Better newsletter, for example? Because it achieves all these things!
The newsletter creates demand (subscribers often reach out for partnerships)
It creates control (the more I earn, the more I can control my time)
It engages interesting people, with whom I've built partnerships and friendships.
So, it's time to ask yourself...
What is your state of being?
Maybe it's to have creative fulfillment. To pursue deep connections. To have impact, or find security and stability, or to chase adventure and novelty.
As I write this, I realize: I'm tipping dangerously into cliché. Isn't this just another way of saying, "it's the journey, not the destination"?
But nah. Not to me. I don't related to the "journey," because it's too abstract. Like, what journey? Just any journey? To me, a journey is something you only see in retrospect — once you're able to look back and trace the path you took.
A state of being is different. It is a defined goal, as well as an accomplishment — something you can work towards every day.
When you're clear about your state of being, you stop chasing arbitrary milestones and start building a fulfilling life. You choose the projects and relationships that work, and discard the ones that don't. You stop waiting for some future achievement to make you happy, and create the conditions for satisfaction right now.
So ask yourself: What are you actually working towards?
Find it. Pursue it. And make the decisions that help you maintain it.
That's how to do one thing better.
I made $10,000 in one week using this
This is the best sales platform I've found... and I've tried many.
It's called Stan Store, and it's perfect for anyone who sells things online — courses, digital products, coaching, webinars, and more.
For example, this is my store. I use it to sell 1:1 calls, my personal branding course, and more — and it netted $10K the first week I used it. (Yay!)
Here's why I love Stan:
All‑in‑one storefront: Sell products, collect emails, schedule calls — all from one simple page
Super simple setup: I built my storefront in minutes, and updating is easy
Keep 100% of the revenue: Stan takes zero commission!
Powerful marketing tools: Upsells, affiliate links, Instagram DM automations, and more
Try it yourself — with a 14-day free trial. Start here. And if you have questions, just reply and ask me. I'm happy to share my experiences!
*sponsored
Four ways that I can help you...
📈 Build your authority on LinkedIn. I'll teach you how to build a powerful personal brand on LinkedIn — attracting the kind of customers, partners, or employers you want. (Use code OTB40 for 40% off.) 🛍️Free advice for CPG founders!I write a newsletter called CPG3, which offers three ways to grow your brand. Click to read a recent edition, and to subscribe! 👋 I'll help your team embrace change. I deliver keynotes and workshops, both in person and virtually, to help teams thrive in times of change. I've worked with Clorox, Pfizer, Microsoft, Dell, Crocs, Dick's Sporting Goods, and more. Let's talk! 📣 Show your brand to my audience. I reach 70K readers in this newsletter and 230K followers on LinkedIn. Just reply, and let's discuss.
And two ways you can help me...
Please share this newsletter! You can share today's edition by finding the web version right here. Or just forward this email and suggest they subscribe.
Reply and tell me what you think! I love hearing from readers — and if you have a question, it might prompt a future newsletter.
That's all for this week! See you next Tuesday.
P.S. Miss last week's newsletter? It's about how to recognize the mechanisms of success — even if they're "dumb" — which helps you build more successful things too!
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