• A thought experiment exploring where it should be.

I vaguely recall a scene from a game where a legendary Japanese samurai says these words calmly mid-battle.

Satisfaction comes first.

Lord Yoshihiro Shimazu seemed happily rested whenever he said it.

Strange.

Maybe he was acting all courageous. Showboating gets attention from the uninitiated, so that may have been his strategy.

Or perhaps he was too lazy. But the game went on to show him winning battle after battle and surviving the biggest war in Japan during the chaotic Sengoku period.

That’s the dude I was talking about. The game is great too, btw.

Before I figure out where to put it, I must answer an important question.

What is Satisfaction?

Is it the feeling when something’s over for good? Or is it a feeling when a favorable outcome is guaranteed? Does it signify a win? Is it a product of a situation or the situation itself?

A combination of these questions comes to me in currents I can’t follow.

The dictionary says it’s a derivative of one’s needs, wishes, and expectations. I agree with the definition, but I doubt if that’s all what the legend meant earlier.

You see, Yoshihiro craved the satisfaction of a well-earned victory, but why did he proclaim it came first? Maybe all he cared for was the win, not the peace and calm that followed the battle.

But where does satisfaction begin?

The world accepts the definition of the well-earned feeling after something favorable has happened. And that’s mostly true. But if you are truly certain of something that will happen with your effort, shouldn’t you already be satisfied knowing you’re working towards it?

That’s where I take a sharp turn from Lord Shimazu’s path to satisfaction.

Where does it begin?

Instead of simply stating where it begins, let’s go through a thought experiment of common assumptions and see where it leads us.

Maybe you can see which type of satisfaction fits your description and which you may choose to believe in.

Assumption 1: Satisfaction lies just beyond the task at hand

This is by far the most common response I’ve heard and consistent with the definition of satisfaction. It’s also one of the key metrics of growth for most people; the need to keep chasing things to be satisfied.

But if the reward is certain for a well-planned path, shouldn’t satisfaction come much earlier, knowing that the path will lead to success?

If so, are we doubtful of our fate that we wait until after the task is complete to be satisfied? Isn’t that a lack of confidence that’s to blame here?

So then our first correlation of satisfaction has to be with confidence. While satisfaction may remain the same as we grow confident along the way to reach a successful outcome, our initial confidence while attempting the task is inversely proportional to satisfaction.

In other words, if we see satisfaction as the result of a series of tasks, then it is an equal transaction where one guarantees the other. Now the only variable here is our fear in following up with our desires in ensuring a win, getting satisfaction as the product of the act.

Assumption 2: We know where satisfaction lies, but can’t pinpoint where it is

It’s somewhere along the way, but not too early or too late into the task. If this is to be believed, then there is a clear indication that completion isn’t what derives satisfaction but the knowledge of a sure outcome.

We are creatures of habit, so what once was satisfying—if done enough times—can become less so as we may not give much thought to sure outcomes anymore.

If that’s the case, then satisfaction is clearly related to familiarity. What’s familiar will be less satisfying but can guide to new challenges to pursue more satisfaction, if there’s such a thing.

Is that why nostalgia feels so satisfying? Maybe.

I’m not implying that everything loses the degree of satisfaction it can derive over time. We might feel less fatigued when an activity is done, leaving more energy to try new stuff, maybe more experiences to unearth even more ways to be satisfied.

Assumption 3: Satisfaction begins with the task.

This is rare. But I want to check if there’s any merit behind the idea.

This idea has three takers. Only one of them actually benefits from it though. This segregation is based on the answers they give and their approach to what satisfaction really means to them.

The obvious answer — Lazy

I have faced this quite a lot, and I find myself in it frequently: the endless planning phase — and sleeping on it.

There is some amount of satisfaction here, knowing that the path will make us better, but the fear of taking action is so great that no action will be taken, and regret follows, usually in a couple of weeks.

It’s even harder to follow the path if I declare it to people around me. The satisfaction of having a plan that could easily be shared with others is somehow detrimental to actual satisfaction.

It’s strange, but sometimes clarity in thought within is enough to stick to the path.

The confusing answer — Deflector

He is the same as above with little to no action, but knows to deflect the topic with something the listener is not well versed in. I call them ‘deflectors’ as they are not humble enough to listen and always eager to prove a point.

It’s tough to ask them real questions. You’ll instantly realize it was a bad idea to talk to them in the first place and never go past surface-level questions with them.

Always hiding their insecurities, but clearly visible to the observer, these people require their share of experience to acknowledge the stagnant frame they are in.

The sensei vibe — Clear

Very few achieve this level of calmness and are in no hurry. But since they know what is to be done and the things that bring joy to them, you won’t usually see them if you aren’t enriching their lives with positive thoughts or actions.

This is not to say that they have a well-rounded life with everything figured out, but they are open to observing, listening, and learning.

It’s a skill they amass from experience and remain humble throughout their interaction with others.

The clear in thought has a chance at experiencing satisfaction first. Stoics had this idea of not expecting anything outside their control to bring them happiness.

This monk-like state is where satisfaction likes to reside in perpetuity. While this is tough to master, nurturing a sense of satisfaction from growth-inducing routines and a circle of positive friends can guide us into becoming satisfied in the knowledge that we’re on the way.

Satisfaction is ultimately related to understanding.

How aligned you are with the process is kind of where the feeling of satisfaction first emerges. This is close to contentment or contentment itself, but the main difference here is the absence of a marked satisfaction after something is achieved.

It’s all in the process, and it’s what I like to believe.

Now there are considerations of contentment, relief, and devotion that can have their association with satisfaction, but this sums up the practical side of how satisfaction can be internalized.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this as I’m also learning my ways into satisfaction.