I read a fascinating psychological study a few years that involved Olympic medalists. It found that bronze medalists are quantitatively happier than silver medalists.

On one level that doesn’t make sense because the silver medalists beat the bronze medalists. It seems like silver medalists ought to be happier. But the difference maker was focus. The silver medalists tended to focus on the fact that they could have won a gold medal and it produced feelings of disappointment. The bronze medalists tended to focus on the fact they almost didn’t win any medal and it produced feelings of gratitude.

Your focus determines your reality.