When it comes to changing jobs, what's the difference in what NBA superstar Kevin Durant did and what the average Joe does every day? If the common denominator is for upgrading purposes, the answer is nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Monday night, Durant spoke to the media as a first-time NBA world champion and NBA Finals MVP. He led the Golden State Warriors to an NBA title after making the difficult decision to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder on July 4, 2016, just weeks after the Warriors beat his Oklahoma City Thunder in an NBA conference final. The Thunder were a game away from advancing to the NBA Finals but couldn't close the deal and watched Golden State rally from a 3-1 deficit in the best-of-7 series.

Durant's decision to leave has been met with all kinds of criticism. Even though he put himself in a better situation.

While it wasn't a popular decision to many, Durant's move is no different from the executive who jumps from Apple to Samsung or even the high school student who makes the move from McDonald's to Burger King. Changing employment happens all the time, and we all have our reasons for doing so whether the motive is higher pay, better hours or a more relaxed working environment.

Forbes recently wrote a story on why people change jobs. Among the reasons were overcoming complacency, searching for camaraderie in a work environment, wanting a need for a change of scenery and obtaining a desire for personal growth.

If there's an opportunity to put yourself in a better position, then who are we truly to judge?

Some people are quick to satisfy others but slow to achieve self-satisfaction. A story on Inc. that discusses 11 ways to make yourself happy daily. Two things the article stresses are accepting yourself as you are and listening to yourself. A big question in the article is "Am I happy with what I'm doing?"

Many looking to upgrade are not happy, and one of the biggest unspoken truths in life is clear: Nobody can make you happy until you’re happy with yourself first.

Durant wasn't happy in Oklahoma City. Rolling Stone wrote a piece on why he left, how he handled it and how he prepared for the backlash following his decision. He knew he'd be seen as the bad guy. He also knew what the ultimate result could be for him. He's a champion now whether or not a critic likes it.

"Once I made the decision, I knew I had to take a lot of stuff on the chin," Durant told Bill Simmons on the "Any Given Wednesday" show. "I knew I had to keep rolling with the punches. A lot of people try to tear you down when you make a decision that makes them uncomfortable or makes them upset. I can't control everybody."

Following Monday's game, Durant told ESPN that he "wanted to compete at the highest level against LeBron James." He felt playing for the Warriors would allow him to do that. Mission accomplished, and mission conquered.

Durant's move is done regularly by doctors, lawyers, CEOs and CFOs as well as fry cooks, customer service reps and everyone else with normal working hours. It's all about making your life better. No one can truly tell you how to do that.

Because Durant is a world-famous basketball star, it's easy to root against him for his decision. Sports can be such a huge entity, and fans can easily become engaged in the daily routine of their favorite team or favorite player. Because of that, it's easy to see why Durant is viewed as a villain for joining a Golden State team that won an NBA-record 73 games last year.

Still, when looking at the big picture, Durant made the move to achieve self-satisfaction. He also achieved a childhood goal of winning an NBA championship. Like it or not, Durant upgraded, and he's happy for it.