How to Cure "Can't Wait" Syndrome and Appreciate Life

Have you ever met someone you loved being around?

And no matter how long you’ve been apart, that same feeling comes back the moment you see each other again?

It has to be the glowing smile they can never hold back, or maybe it’s their contagious laugh that makes them so fun to be with.

But no matter how many people you meet like that, you can tell they all have one similar quality—they appreciate life.

And it’s that one distinctive quality that separates them from everyone else who just doesn’t seem to care.

“Can’t Wait…”

Water is the most bland and tasteless drink in the world, but tell that to a man who’s trudged through the desert for weeks, and he’ll say you’re insane.

Likewise, the people I mentioned earlier are so refreshing because everyone else has fallen victim to “can’t wait” syndrome.

You know what I’m talking about:

“I can’t wait until the weekend.”
“Man, I can’t wait till Friday.”
“I hate Mondays. I can’t wait till this is over.”

It’s like there’s a rule that says you can only live 3 days out of the week. And don’t forget that misery loves company, so you’re the crazy one if you don’t happen to share that mentality.

Look I get it. It’s tough to go back to work or school after the weekend. I wasn’t fond of Mondays for most of my life either.

But then I thought about this endless cycle of chasing the weekend. And I questioned if I really wanted to waste 5 days wishing for 2 for the rest of my life.

It’s scary how much time we spend wishing our lives away, but it’s not just scary, it’s disrespectful. Not only to ourselves, but to others too.

We never think of how disrespectful it is…

to people who stand in line for hours just for a chance at a low-wage job
to families forced to plan their budget around grocery shopping
to the One who gave you life in the first place

It’s all careless.

I know it’s a cultural norm to hate Mondays and praise the weekend, but you don’t have to accept everything the culture does. Something’s wrong when casually hating your life is normal anyway.

So why not guard your mouth instead?

Catch yourself when you’re about to give into this attitude. That’s where you have to start.

The Real Problem

Now we all know this “can’t wait” attitude is mostly work related. And I can sympathize with that.

But the truth is that no one is passionate about their work all the time, no matter how much of a dream job you think they have.

You have to learn to enjoy what you do, because when you’re forced to do a good thing, it doesn’t seem very good at all.

But when you find pleasure in something you have to do anyway, your whole perspective changes. And you see that there’s fun to be had when you face your challenges head on.

Everyone wants to find work they love. Yet no one changes their attitude to enjoy the work they have.

And when you look at it from that angle, you see the bigger problem at work here—discontentment.

You can’t respect anything if you’re not content with it.

People wish their life away because they’re not satisfied with their place in it. And who can blame ‘em?

We’re bombarded by ads and blog posts that shove this false idea of success down our throats. We’re constantly told that refusing to settle means sacrificing everything for more.

People don’t realize that making the most out of what you have is more rewarding than chasing something better. The richest man isn’t the one with the most stuff, he’s the one who relishes whatever he has.

That’s not to say you should leave corporate America to work at a fast food joint—there’s a difference between contentment and doing less than what you’re capable of.

What I’m describing here is the desire for more than what our skills allow, simply because we think we deserve it. That’s discontentment.

How to Fight Back

So what are some practical ways to get rid of this toxic attitude and respect what you have?

These three will get you started:

#1 Appreciate

You have to appreciate what you do have in this life. Even if the only good thing you can think of is waking up in the morning—that’s a reason to be thankful.

Overlooking the small stuff quickly leads to feeling entitled. Especially in the US where most of us don’t worry about where we’re going to sleep or if we’ll make it through the night.

So make a list of even the smallest good things in your life, and then decide how you can give them the respect they deserve.

And don’t forget about the people who support you. Cherish them. Love them. Let them know they’re appreciated.

This is coming from a guy who’s spent an abnormal amount of time alone. You don’t know how special some people are until you’ve lost them. So please, don’t take anyone for granted.

#2 Challenge

Skippable days are the worst.

That’s why you have to train yourself to make every day count. And from my experience, the way you start each day has the biggest impact on your ability to do so.

No, I’m not talking about whether you eat oatmeal or cereal for breakfast. I’m saying that it’s important to set the tone by taking action early each day.

A good rule of thumb is to make significant progress on a project or assignment before 10 AM. Not only will that set an example for the rest of the day, but it will also give you a challenge to look forward to every morning. And there’s nothing like going to bed early because you want to face the day ahead.

Just make sure your goal is measurable and isn’t too easy to meet. If you need to challenge yourself more, set an earlier deadline like 9, or even 8 AM if you’re an early riser.

#3 Connect

The last thing is to find people with similar attitudes. The more people you know who aren’t bogged down by “can’t wait” syndrome, the easier it’ll be for you to find joy in what you do.

It’s not always obvious who these people are, but they should be easy to find if you’re observant.

The best way to tell is by doing a “complain test”. Whenever a problem is presented, take note of the people who try to understand that problem and work towards solving it instead of complaining.

That will quickly separate the doers from the complainers. But it only helps if you’re one of those doers as well.

Now if you have to go the nonverbal route, take a look at the eyes. You want to see a sharp, cheerful, or focused gaze—those are all good signs.

You can also look for confident body language like straightened posture and a walk with purposeful strides. Or if all that is too detailed for you, just look for someone who wants to be there.

But don’t make the mistake of judging solely on appearances. Those are just hints, clues, and additional information. They never tell the whole story.

Take me for example.

I walk slow, I have a stoic facial expression, and my eyes are half-closed most of the time. But numerous people have still complimented my attitude in the past.

I guess my love for life finds a way to be seen despite my appearance. Go figure.