I just read the following about joy from The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg:

We all live with the illusion that joy will come someday when conditions change. We go to school and think we will be happy when we graduate. We are single and are convinced we will be happy when we get married. We get married and decide we will be happy someday when we have children. We have children and decide we will be happy when they grow up and leave the nest – then they do, and we think we were happier when they were still at home.

And this:

When we celebrate, we exercise our ability to see and feel goodness in the simplest gifts of God. We are able to take delight today in something we wouldn’t have even noticed yesterday. Our capacity for joy increases.

Some take home lessons for me:

• Yes, I need to place some emphasis on setting goals for the future and working today to help achieve objectives tomorrow. Not as much emphasis as I’ve been placing, though. I shouldn’t be so focused on tomorrow that I’m missing the wonder of today.
• I need to start taking much more notice of the incredible things that happen on a daily basis right in front of me.
• Joy in life and achieving goals aren’t tied together. One is not dependent on the other.

This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
- Psalm 118:24