Chocolate river, golden ticket, wacky tour guide who is a brilliant visionary, small in stature indentured servants…yes, I’m talking about the magical movie that is “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” Alongside the fictional representation of a personal dream reality of mine (everything is edible), one thing that sticks with me from the movie is the little girl named “Veruca Salt.” If you are familiar with the movie, you will strongly agree that she is the embodiment of an entitled, spoiled child. The one scene that stands out to me is when Veruca is singing here trademark song “I Want It Now.” She parades around the ‘golden goose egg’ production room, causing chaos and gallantly proclaiming her insatiable appetite for more candy, sweets, parties, and related things for her better enjoyment.

(If you are unfamiliar with this reference, do a quick Youtube search of “Veruca Salt: I Want it Now” and you’ll see what I’m referring to)

While this theatrical scene is a hilarious and catchy fictional event, there are some thematic truths that can be gleaned (possibly with some prying).

First, if one does ‘literally’ embrace the characteristics and life attitude of little Miss Salt, I strongly implore for immediate reevaluation of one’s priorities and overall mentality!

While I am sure (at least I hope) that you may not scream and cause destruction in the event of your wants and situational desires not being filled, know that the underlying inward satisfaction that is ultimately seeking to be filled won’t be done via temporal means. There is a reason material things are classified as temporal…the satisfaction provided is temporary. Of course, material possessions do provide levels of security and enjoyment, but the wholeness of life is in the depth of relationships and soundness of purpose.

Additionally, I have come to find that dissatisfaction often comes from ungratefulness and leads to selfishness. And so, satisfaction often comes from gratitude and leads to selflessness.

Second, and mainly, the attitude from Veruca of an insatiable pursuit for more, strips her from attaining sustained joy and satisfaction. As she actively looks for the next best thing, she is blind to the abundance that she already has.

Alright, so what does this stretchhhh of an illustration mean for us in reality? Simply:

Don’t allow your ambition to supersede your gratitude.

In our present world of ever-increasing capabilities (especially for those in first world countries), there is the readily available opportunity to create whatever life that your discipline, desire, and creativity permits. Especially with the creation of the internet, there has never been a time like the current in which there are so few constraints and so many open doors to impact and innovate.

If you aren’t actively harvesting the fertile grounds that is this modern era, you are selling yourself short! Discover your life’s skills and interests, invest the time to grow in them, and make an impact!

With this charge to thrive also comes the urgent teaching to slow-down. Seemingly ironic, but when your drive to thrive is based on a future-day focus, you will easily miss the WHOLE point about living fulfilled. Allow your desire for growth to be fueled by a deeply rooted gratitude for all that you have and not what you hope to claim!

Your relationships, your physical health, your (perhaps dreaded) job, the clothes on your back, the shoes on your feet, the food on the table, etc. are all privileges of life to cherish.

What is your attitude for the present? For all that is in your day-to-day?

Constant complainers will always lack the fulfillment that is able to be had. Reach out and grab the low-hanging fruit of resting in the graces of simply even the life and energy that you are blessed with to see a new day. For, as is frequently quoted, “there is always someone who has it worse.”

The simple charge that I hang on to is to “Work Hard & Be Faithful with Where You Are At.”

This statement of being faithfully in the present found full expression when I got my first J.O.B. out of college. I was an environmental engineer by degree and was deeply grateful to have landed at a civil engineering firm as a roadway design engineer. If you are thinking, “hmm, I didn’t know environmental engineers designed roads” you are exactly right! While it is regularly the case that a young employee in a new job is taught most everything needed to know when on the job, the learning curve was a bit steeper for me as I was gradually instructed the in’s and out’s of roadway design and the software’s utilized to do the technical work. Long story shorter, several months into the job I was frustrated and convinced that the technical engineering life wasn’t for me. The thing about it was the company, role, colleagues, bosses, and purpose of work were great! The type of work just wasn’t for me. Once I convinced myself of this position disconnect, I began to focus on where I wanted to shift to, and although that is naturally practical, I did quickly begin to lose sight of the full opportunity that remained in front of me. I took on the “Veruca Salt” persona for more than just a moment and was driven to having “more,” which stole the focus I should’ve maintained on the blessing of my current job.

It took a while (like over a year) to fully understand the lack of gratitude I continued to have. There was much in my engineering role that I realize I missed out on taking advantage of (relationship development, increased project management experience, leadership development, and others) that would have been beneficial regardless of the job I was going to move on to, but my limiting mindset hide that from me. Personally disappointing, but lesson learned.

Has your drive for what “could be” detracted from your ability to focus on your present blessings? When was the last time you literally counted your blessings?

You may not be where you would like to be or where you will always be, but you are where you are supposed to be. So, be THERE.