Eager
Feeling eager means being keen to start something, or for something to happen: a trip next month, a first day, a friend's visit, a project you can't wait to begin. It's a happy feeling pointed at the future.
- On the wheel: Happy, then hopeful, then eager
- Nearby: Optimistic, playful
- Feels close to: Excited, and sometimes nervous
- Often points to: Something ahead that you want
The playlist made three weeks early
Eagerness is a forward lean. You check the countdown, picture the first hour, maybe pack too early.
It has energy, and sometimes a little impatience mixed in.
"The concert's in three weeks and I've already made the playlist, picked the outfit and planned which train we'll catch. Honestly, this part is half the fun."
Half the holiday happens before you leave
Of 1,530 people in a Dutch study, the ones about to go on holiday reported more happiness than the ones who weren't going, and the researchers suggested anticipation was the reason.1
After the trip, most travelers were no happier than non-travelers.1 Only trips people rated as highly relaxing raised happiness afterward.1
A lot of a holiday's lift came before it started.
Wait for a dinner, not a delivery
What you're eager for changes how the wait feels. Across four studies by Amit Kumar, Matthew Killingsworth and Thomas Gilovich, waiting for experiences such as a dinner or a concert brought more happiness than waiting for things people had bought, and it felt more pleasant and more exciting.2
If you want something to look forward to, plan an outing.
Eager, nervous or impatient?
| Feeling | Sounds like | What's going on |
|---|---|---|
| Eager | "I can't wait." | The future looks good |
| Nervous | "What if it goes wrong?" | The same energy, aimed at a threat |
| Impatient | "Why isn't it here yet?" | Eagerness that has turned into frustration with the wait |
Eagerness and nerves feel alike in the body, with a fast heart and a busy mind, and that likeness is something you can use. Before karaoke, public speaking and math tests, people who said "I am excited" out loud felt more excited and did better than people who tried to calm down.3 The nervous page goes further into the other side.
Making the wait worth more
- Put it on the calendar early. Plan the trip, the dinner or the visit weeks ahead. The waiting is part of what you're getting.1
- Spread out small things to look forward to. If anticipation is part of the payoff, one plan a week gives you more of it than one big plan a year.
- Picture one specific moment. The first bite, the first song, the hug at the airport. Detail makes waiting more vivid.
- When nerves join in, say "I'm excited." That's the reappraisal from the karaoke and speaking studies.3
What are you looking forward to, and what part of it most? Write one specific moment you're picturing, in as much detail as you can.
Answer this with JoyQuestions people ask about feeling eager
Is eager a positive word?
Mostly, yes. It describes keen, willing interest: "She was eager to start her new job." In phrases like "a little too eager" it tips into pushy or impatient.
What's the difference between eager and anxious?
Both look ahead with energy. Eager expects something good; anxious expects something might go wrong. People sometimes say "anxious to start" when they mean eager, which shows how close the two feel.
Related
- Hopeful: the feeling eagerness sits inside.
- Optimistic: expecting things to turn out well.
- Curious: wanting to know more.