When talking about the meaning of life, you always have to start by defining your terms. Why? Because people almost always equivocate when you don’t. You can look up the definition of life in the dictionary, for example, and no one will claim that that’s what they meant. In addition to the literal definition of life, other meanings of “the mean...
Read MoreThere is one unifying goal in all of life: the positive outcome. Everyone is looking for that one meaning in life that makes them feel fulfilled: service to others, love, happiness, pleasure, achievement, learning, personal growth, financial success, respect, or appreciation. The truth is that it is all growth-related, as everyone looks forward t...
Read MoreMost simple motivational talks could be summarized as such: “Find what you want; believe you can attain it; and go out there and get it!” Similarly, when you go to the self-help section of a bookstore, you’ll find a whole list of books claiming to provide anything from the belief system to get what you want to step-by-step guidance to attain what...
Read MoreLonging. We all know the feeling: having a strong desire for something you can’t have. But do you have to feel that way? Let’s explore. I’ve been criticized in the past for stating what is basically common sense—of course, I’ve also had my brushes with people who vehemently oppose my “hot takes” (go figure). One of those biggest hot takes come...
Read MoreYes, I know the title is a little too cute and seemingly paradoxical. But the truth is that happiness is a choice as much as it is a response to external stimuli. Give me a moment to explain how emotions work in humans vs. earlier organisms, and you’ll understand why the title is not a paradox nor a tautology but rather an explanation of—and a pr...
Read MoreI find it very strange that I get two main responses to my book: “That’s obvious,” and “That’s definitely not it.” I get that people can either agree with you or disagree with you and that it’d be pretty contentious being on a topic like this, but what surprises me is how people treat the answer to what many people believe is life’s biggest questio...
Read MoreDepending on how you count what a “choice” is, you’ll make hundreds of thousands to billions and billions of choices in your lifetime. Choices include the big ones like which school to go to, which jobs to apply for, and whether or not you marry or reproduce as well as the little ones like where you focus your attention at any given time or whethe...
Read MoreEveryone knows the sensitive topics in the presence of polite company: religion, politics, and money. Money makes sense, as it breeds jealousy, and religion can spark deep debates about the meaning of the universe. So why is politics such a hot topic? Let’s discuss. You might think that this is obvious: politics is tribal; people align to a trib...
Read MoreA belief is anything that you assume to be true. A subset of beliefs is knowledge, which are things that you know to be true because you have proven them in your reality. Ideally, people want to bring their beliefs in line with reality to prevent harm, pain, and disappointment. However, all beliefs that something is not possible when it actually...
Read MoreHumans are a social species. As such, they are naturally drawn to human interaction. Small talk, for example, is the ultimate example of picking inconsequential topics to discuss to begin conversations and develop relationships with others. As people get to know each other, they can then move into more sensitive or in-depth topics with a greater...
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