Happiness is solving good problems
The following is a collection of my favourite quotes along with some reflection points from Chapter 2 of the book “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” .
Lesson 1: Happiness is found in solving problems
“Don’t hope for a life without problems … There’s no such thing. Instead, hope for a life full of good problems.”
Like playing a video game or working through a puzzle, it’s the solving of problems that give us happiness, a sense of fulfillment, accomplishment and progress.
“True happiness occurs only when you find the problems you enjoy having and enjoy solving."
Lesson 2: Choose the problems that you don’t mind solving
“What determines your success isn’t ... What do you want to enjoy? The relevant question is What pain do you want to sustain?”
Here are some examples of pain:
The ones who don’t mind the pain of going to the gym and pushing their bodies become athletes.
The ones who don’t mind the pain of having awkward conversations may become better managers, leaders and friends.
The ones who don’t mind stage fright, sweaty palms and extreme embarrassment may become better public speakers.
The ones who don’t mind uncertainty, failure, and potentially no payout may become entrepreneurs.
The key is to find the problems you like to solve and the pain that you don’t mind enduring.
Lesson 3: You need to enjoy the climb itself, not just the view from the top
“I wanted the reward and not the struggle. I wanted the result and not the process. I was in love with not the fight but only the victory.”
The emphasis here is to enjoy the process. Don’t become a marathon runner, if you don’t enjoy the discipline of repeatedly running regardless of weather conditions, feeling tired and sore and doing it all over again.
“.. if you think at any point you’re allowed to stop climbing, I’m afraid you’re missing the point. Because the joy is in the climb itself.”
Questions to ask yourself
The key is to find activities in your life where you actually enjoy the problems, the pain and suffering that go with it.
What kind of problems do I like to solve?
What kind of pain do I like to endure?
What kind of job should I take based on this knowledge?
What kind of hobbies should I pursue?