An Evaluation of Hedonic Adaptation and Dissatisfaction Through an Aamir Khan Film
Have you ever wondered why we are rarely satisfied with our achievements? For example, when our national basketball team came in second place this year, the public reacted as if we had been declared the most unsuccessful country in the world. But were we really unsuccessful, or did we simply fail at the art of being satisfied?
The answer to these questions can be found by looking at Aamir Khan’s 2025 film Sitare Zaman. If you haven’t watched it yet, now may be the perfect time. Without giving away too many spoilers, here’s a brief summary. The movie begins with a coach who, after an accident, is sentenced by the court to work at a rehabilitation center as a basketball trainer for children. One of his strongest personality traits is perfectionism; he wants everything to be flawless, and when things don’t go his way, he tends to withdraw. He is egotistical, impatient, and obsessed with success.
At first, he looks down on the children at the rehabilitation center, dismissing them with an attitude of “nothing can come of them.” However, as time passes, they begin to participate in tournaments together. When the final tournament comes, financial struggles nearly prevent them from attending. Despite the obstacles, they make it to the game and end up finishing second. The coach is furious, because in his mind only first place counts. Yet, the children—despite their disabilities—celebrate with joy. Puzzled, the coach asks, “But we didn’t win, so why are you so happy?” One of the children gives an unforgettable reply: “Being second is harder than being first.” At that moment, the coach realizes the true lesson: “I didn’t train these kids; they trained me.”
Why does this scene strike such a chord? Because in our own lives, we experience similar cycles: getting a promotion at work, winning a competition, buying the outfit we longed for, starting a new relationship… At first, these bring us joy, but the excitement quickly fades. In psychology, this is called hedonic adaptation.
Hedonic Adaptation: Why Doesn’t Happiness Last?
As shown in the research of Sonja Lyubomirsky and Kennon Sheldon, new achievements or positive life changes initially boost happiness. However, over time, people adjust to their “new normal,” and satisfaction returns to its baseline (Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2012). Just like the coach in the film, who constantly demands more, the successes we achieve quickly become insufficient.
As expectations rise, satisfaction declines. This is why coming in second feels disappointing—not because it is failure, but because our mind has already set “first place” as the new standard.
The human pursuit of happiness becomes an endless loop: what once thrilled us soon becomes ordinary. Understanding hedonic adaptation helps explain why contentment fades even after reaching meaningful goals.
The Abundance of Choice: Satisfaction or Frustration?
As Barry Schwartz argues in The Paradox of Choice, more options often lead to less satisfaction (Schwartz et al., 2002). People who strive for the maximum (the “maximizers”) always wonder if there could have been a better alternative, which leaves them with regret. In contrast, those who settle for “good enough” (the “satisficers”) experience greater contentment.
The coach in the movie is a textbook maximizer. Even though the children are overjoyed, his fixation on the top spot prevents him from feeling satisfied. The children, however, embody the satisficer mindset: for them, second place is already a remarkable victory.
This illustrates how dissatisfaction can stem not from external failure but from internal expectations.
How Can We Overcome Dissatisfaction?
So, how can we preserve our sense of fulfillment? Research suggests several strategies:
Gratitude Practices
Keeping gratitude journals on a regular basis strengthens positive emotions and slows down adaptation. The children’s ability to celebrate their small victory in the film is a perfect example of this.
Expectation Management
Breaking down goals into smaller steps and focusing on existing accomplishments instead of “what’s next” increases satisfaction. The coach learns this lesson from the way the children embrace their second-place finish.
Diversifying Experiences
Adding variety to repetitive activities helps keep happiness alive. New experiences and fresh perspectives can prolong satisfaction.
Through these strategies, we can consciously reduce dissatisfaction and strengthen the sustainability of happiness in everyday life.
A Question to the Reader
So, let me ask you: Which of your past achievements brought you joy at first but soon became ordinary? Was it a new phone, a promotion, or something else? And why was it so difficult to keep that excitement alive?
Reflecting on this helps us see the nature of hedonic adaptation in our own lives.
Conclusion: Who Is the Real Winner?
As in Aamir Khan’s film, dissatisfaction is often a matter of perspective. While the coach views success only as first place, the children proudly celebrate second. This difference is the key to our struggles with contentment.
Hedonic adaptation and the abundance of choice make satisfaction fleeting. Yet gratitude, expectation management, and variety can help make happiness more sustainable.
Perhaps the real question is this: In life, who is truly the loser—the coach who always wants more, or the children who manage to be happy with second place?
Real fulfillment lies not in constant striving, but in mastering the pursuit of happiness through acceptance, gratitude, and mindful living.
References
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Bao, K. J., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2013). Making it last: Combating hedonic adaptation in romantic relationships. Journal of Positive Psychology, 8(3), 196–206.
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Lyubomirsky, S. (2011). Hedonic adaptation to positive and negative experiences. In S. Folkman (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Stress, Health, and Coping (pp. 200–224). Oxford University Press.
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Sheldon, K. M., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2012). The challenge of staying happier: Testing the Hedonic Adaptation Prevention model. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38(5), 670–680.
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Schwartz, B., Ward, A., Monterosso, J., Lyubomirsky, S., White, K., & Lehman, D. R. (2002). Maximizing versus satisficing: Happiness is a matter of choice. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(5), 1178–1197.
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Peng, J., et al. (2018). A new look at the impact of maximizing on unhappiness. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 158.