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Depression
Post-Achievement Depression: Overcoming the Slump
Understanding that sinking feeling after accomplishing your goals.
Posted May 17, 2024 Reviewed by Ray Parker
I recently finished a project that I’d been working on for several years. Throughout the project, I assumed that I’d be thrilled and elated when I reached the end. Sadly, once I’d finished dotting the i's and crossing the t's, I was left with a numbing sense of emptiness.
Post-achievement depression involves experiencing a sense of purposelessness or sadness after completing a long-standing goal. This can produce a complex range of emotions, including lack of motivation, tiredness, restlessness, frustration, self-doubt, sadness, or an overall sense of melancholy and existential crisis.
This is a common experience and can happen in all walks of life. Students concluding their academic journeys, writers typing the final words of their manuscripts, office employees securing hard-won promotions, and athletes concluding their competitive careers, the aftermath of achievement knows no bounds. It's a shared human experience, resonating deeply across diverse paths and pursuits.
The Arrival Fallacy
Tal Ben-Shahar coined the term "the arrival fallacy" to refer to the false belief that achieving a particular goal will lead to an enduring sense of happiness. This captures an oversimplification of how we reason about the future. We often naively assume that if the efforts we make in the present are successful, they will undoubtedly lead to increased happiness further down the line. If only it were that simple.
Is Society to Blame?
In recent years, there's been a notable backlash against the culture of relentless goal-setting and perpetual striving for success. Some critics attribute this to society's fixation on productivity, while others highlight the risks associated with scaling steep and rigid hierarchies. Despite these recurring societal debates, it's essential to acknowledge the inherent drive many of us feel to set and accomplish our goals. There's a profound sense of satisfaction and purpose that accompanies being "on the hunt," a feeling that runs deep and can be a primary source of meaning in our lives.
What About Biology?
Humans are "hardwired" to strive, struggle, and seek out increasingly difficult challenges. Andrew Huberman has recently popularized the well-established relationships between dopamine, motivation, and satisfaction, describing dopamine as the propeller that drives our sense of motivation and pursuit. The release of dopamine in the brain, when an incremental step toward a chosen goal is achieved, enhances our motivation to strive further. The strides we make as we stalk our prey heighten our sense of excitement and drive. However, once we hit our target, the rewards may be short-lived, leaving us bereft of the thrill we experienced when pursuing our initial goal. Hence the old adage, “It's not the destination that counts; it's the journey.”
How to Respond
Perhaps the easiest place to start is to consider how not to respond. After completing a project or achieving a goal, there's often an innate expectation to celebrate exuberantly or revel in the newfound freedom to unwind and relax. While it's natural to celebrate or put your feet up, it's important not to force yourself to feel something you don’t. Avoid the temptation to chase elusive emotions through excessive or reckless behaviors.
An essential first step is to recognize and understand what you're experiencing. Engaging in discussions with others who have encountered similar feelings can shed light on the prevalence of post-achievement depression, offering validation and a sense of commonality in navigating your emotions.
In the weeks and months after a significant project in your life, it’s important to reflect on your experiences. What was it about what you were doing that motivated you to begin with? Did you find the process engaging, or were you simply under the illusion that the result would justify the hardship?
I enjoy the feeling of being focused and the hope that my work may make a small contribution to our knowledge and understanding of the world. I’m attracted to the challenge and purpose that come when I’m in the middle of a project, the promise that my self-discipline and hard work are meaningful for myself and others. Mostly, I enjoy feeling a sense of internal drive.
Next Time
When this feeling of drive vanishes, it is perfectly natural for it to leave a void in your life. With time, you may come to recognize the recurring cycles of how you respond to the goals you set for yourself. You may choose to accept this as part of who you are. Sit with your feelings and recharge, but try to step into the next phase of your life a little wiser.
Several adjustments you can make in your approach to goals may help mitigate the impact of post-achievement depression.
Plan for the next thing: Instead of dwelling on the completion of one goal, have plans in place for the next endeavor to maintain momentum and a sense of purpose. You may plan to switch gears in between projects. For example, after a taxing mental challenge, changing your focus to recreational, charitable, or physical goals can help to recharge mentally while staying motivated.
Prioritize enjoying the process: Shift your focus from solely achieving the end result to appreciating the journey itself. Find joy and fulfillment in engaging with challenges and the skills and experiences you accrue along the way rather than solely fixating on the outcome. Implementing these adjustments can help foster a healthier and more sustainable approach to goal-setting, reducing the likelihood of experiencing post-achievement depression.
Experiencing post-achievement depression doesn't mean we should shy away from goals or taking on new challenges. Striving for achievement can provide us with a sense of purpose, direction, and fulfillment. However, regaining momentum after coming to a halt often requires significant effort. Prioritizing physical health can replenish energy stores and prepare us for the next phase of our journey.
It's important to recognize that while striving for personal growth and enriching the lives of those around us is admirable, it's essential not to fall into the trap of equating happiness solely with some elusive end product. Happiness routinely lies in the journey itself, in the relationships we build, and in the moments of growth and self-discovery along the way.
