How many times have you said, “I’ll be happy when…”?

• You hit that goal.

• You get that promotion.

• You buy that thing you’ve been wanting.

But then, when you finally get that thing you’ve been chasing? It’s cool for a day or two… and then, nothing. The high wears off. You’re right back to searching for the next "thing" that’s supposed to make you happy.

That empty feeling? It has a name.

Introducing: The Arrival Fallacy.

Thanks, Webster’s. But, OOF. Talk about a gut punch.

Why This Hits Hard

I learned this lesson the hard way.

It’s why I preach, “embrace the process” and “trust the journey.”

Because… honestly?

The journey is where all the magic happens. It’s the learning, the growth, and yes, even the struggle, that make it worthwhile. Being on the way is way more fun anyway.

And maybe it’s just the world I’ve occupied the past few years in. Startup and tech land, but you see it all the time:

• Someone sells their company for $10, $20, or even $50 million, and a week later? They’re back in the office, plotting how to go bigger next time.

• Or take Bezos. The guy buys a mega yacht. It’s cool for two days. Then he’s off playing with rockets again. (No shade, Jeff… Amazon Prime is cool. But you get the idea.)

The arrival never satisfies. There’s always a next. A bigger. A more.

So, take a deep breath and appreciate the chapter you’re in. Stop rushing to get to the finish line. Cause even when you do, you’re going to pick a new starting line anyway.

What I’m Building Next

Which brings me to some bigger news: The Dodds Letters are evolving.

I started this newsletter to get into the habit of writing and publishing weekly. And while that foundation has been great, the past few weeks I’ve also been deep in research and reflection (aka figuring out what I’m building next).

Good news? I’ve got answers. :)

The newsletter isn’t going anywhere. But moving forward, it will fuel a bigger vision. Aka rebrand incoming. I’ll be creating content geared toward a specific persona and using this as the top of funnel for two projects I’ll be working on.

More details coming soon… but for now, just know I appreciate you rocking with me. Your support means the world, and I’m stoked to feel recalibrated and have a clear vision moving forward.

With love from Portugal,

-Dodds