Thrills vs. Joy

Lately, I've been thinking about the difference between what’s thrilling and what actually brings us joy, especially in the business world. It’s wild how often we confuse the two, even though they couldn’t feel more different.

Thrills are all about adrenaline—the rush of landing a huge deal, pulling an all-nighter to hit a crazy goal, or watching profits skyrocket. It’s that electric, skydiving kind of high. And let’s be real, it feels excellent… for a while. But like any high, it wears off, and you’re left needing the next big thing to keep the momentum going.

The experience of Joy, on the other hand, is softer and more lasting. It’s the warm feeling of being content, like a perfect breeze on a sunny day. In business, joy could come from knowing your work doesn't harm, watching your team genuinely thrive because they make good money, or feeling like what you’re building is meaningful for your community. It’s less about the flashy wins and more about a sense of fulfillment that doesn’t fade the next day.

But let’s be honest: pure joy isn’t possible under capitalism. We’re still stuck in systems that value growth and profit above everything else, and that can make it impossible to prioritize people or well-being over revenue. Yet, even within these constraints, we can try to get closer to joy. We can push back a bit—choosing to treat people well, embracing ideas like slower or no growth, and finding ways to make our work meaningful.

It’s about doing what we can to create pockets of joy, even if it’s imperfect. Maybe that means celebrating progress, even if it’s not exponential, or making decisions that support worker wellbeing. We can't overthrow the system overnight but we can take small steps that make our work and lives feel more aligned with what truly matters.

Sometimes, even a hint of joy can be enough to keep going in this terror of a world.