We had a pretty decent day at Northern Vessel yesterday. The morning hours were busy, the vibes were strong, the team seemed locked in, and our guests were having a good time. Overall, a pretty typical Saturday. As I sat at the island with my laptop late in the afternoon, it was noticeably slow. The daylight saving time change makes it darker earlier, and it's starting to feel like winter, so a late-day slowdown is to be expected. All in all, I didn't think much about the day. Not terrible, but nothing to write home about, either.
Then, late last night, I discovered something while reviewing the numbers: It was our 10th-best day of all time. Oh! Alright. Safe to say I felt like a real dum dum.
It's so easy to lose perspective when we're in the heart of battle. All we see are the misses, the foibles. We gloss over the wins. We take things for granted. We get conditioned to "normal." Two years ago, it would have been the biggest day in history. But in November 2026, it's easy to overlook it. That's the risk we all face. We take for granted how good our lives are and miss the forest for the trees. The hedonic treadmill kicks in, and we forget how much better we are today than in the past.
I see this every day in my coaching. Families who are significantly better off than they were just 3-4 years ago, frustratedly wishing they had more, made more, got more. They lose sight of the big picture, take things for granted, and become desensitized to their own success. I've worked with families who made $75,000/year at the beginning of our relationship and eventually reached $400,000/year, yet don't recognize how blessed they are. They never considered that they were actually doing well, instead focusing on how they just need to make more money to feel better about their situation. It happens to all of us in some way.
This is a massive problem for our species. It's embedded deep within us, and we struggle to handle ourselves well in this way. Even when I intentionally try to focus on this aspect of my psyche, I still whiff. I still lose sight of the big picture. So this isn't me suggesting we should magically get better and never succumb to this phenomenon; rather, it's my encouragement to stay vigilant and remind yourself of the big picture. Know that despite your best efforts, you WILL take things for granted at times. When it happens, give yourself grace, make right with it, and lock in on a healthier perspective.
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