Many people out there will hear that the meaning of life is growth and think, “Well, then, I’ve gotta get to it!” A short time later, you’ve burnt yourself out. Don’t conflate growth and effort; let’s explore. Everyone knows that to accomplish your goals in life, effort is required. Students study, employees and entrepreneurs work, and investors...
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 MoreMany people think that their emotional state is almost exclusively due to the reality that they are experiencing. After all, basic biology and psychology teach the classic “stimulus-response” model in living organisms where a change in the environment will trigger a response in the affected creature. This is mostly true, as life forms that did no...
Read MoreWhen you’re feeling cynical, miserable, or pessimistic, you are likely to say words to this effect: “Life sucks, and then you die.” What causes this? Well, all life situations are a result of nature and nurture: so some of your life outlook is built in your genetics, and some of it comes as a result of your life experiences.
Read More“I was supposed to have a spouse and kids by now.” “One of my classmates from high school is now a CEO.” “I’m so far behind in my retirement savings.” People naturally compare their life progress to others, and they start to wonder what they need to do to “catch up” to others when they fall behind.
Read MoreSetbacks can hit your psyche pretty hard. Major losses involve mourning and recovery processes. New roadblocks require resilience and new strategies. When success requires desire and belief, evidence to the contrary of your progress toward your goals can be difficult to look past so that you can retain your will to carry on.
Read MoreHumans have advanced cognitive abilities that allow them to think about themselves and the world around them. That gives them greater survival capabilities, but it also allows them to wallow in despair. The question is, what causes the latter to occur? In other words, why are you questioning your existence?
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