Spent all 2011 killing myself to bring a project in on time, missed kids's end-of-year shows, nearly got to divorce. This year I'm getting out on time, closer to home, and seeing a lot more of my family. Sure, it's less ambitious, and the possibilities of promotion are massively reduced - but I know where I'm happier.
How do you live your life?
41–50 of 68 posts
Re: How do you live your life?
#42I like to view life as one giant happiness optimization problem. (That's how you can tell I'm an engineer).
Pretty much all problems are taken care of this way. Time working/salary ratio? Too much to do/boredom? Just keep optimizing.
I do make a bit of an exception. If helping someone else makes them happier at the expense of some of my own, I'll go ahead and (try) to do it. Normally, helping someone else makes me happy too, but occasionally there's times where the kindest thing to do isn't the most enjoyable.
Re: How do you live your life?
#43I like to view life as one giant happiness optimization problem. (That's how you can tell I'm an engineer). Pretty much all problems are taken care of this way. Time working/salary ratio? Too much to do/boredom? Just keep optimizing. I do make a bit of an exception. If helping someone else makes them happier at the expense of some of my own, I'll go ahead and (try) to do it. Normally, helping someone else makes me ha…
The difficult thing about that is that your first sentence said "I like to view life as one [...] problem". If detaching and letting go is so important to enjoying life, considering it a problem only makes that more difficult. You can't solve a problem and let go at the the time. Or, well, I know some people who can, but they've solved the problem long ago already.
Re: How do you live your life?
#44Personally I've decided that life is absolutely meaningless, and I've found that to be incredibly liberating. It's helped me to not put so much pressure on myself to achieve (achieve what?) and live more in the present. It's a shame that people who don't find meaning in their life tend to take the opposite tack toward depression. Or others gravitate toward followership to anyone who will tell them how to live. If I c…
I believe you made a typo. I've fixed it for you.
>Personally I've decided that MY life is absolutely meaningless,...
Re: How do you live your life?
#45I'm afraid that by saying "My priorities are God, Family, Health" that you are just punting. You fall back on that when in every measurable way your life isn't what you hoped it would be so as a coping mechanism you redefine your values to measureless standards. You "value" your family. What does that mean? You spent one hour pushing your kid on a swing because you realized you don't have the confidence, discipline,…
I love this. Its very bleak but it's true. In reading all these comments I really like how they are at very opposite ends of the spectrum and all true all at once.
Re: How do you live your life?
#46I like to view life as one giant happiness optimization problem. (That's how you can tell I'm an engineer). Pretty much all problems are taken care of this way. Time working/salary ratio? Too much to do/boredom? Just keep optimizing. I do make a bit of an exception. If helping someone else makes them happier at the expense of some of my own, I'll go ahead and (try) to do it. Normally, helping someone else makes me ha…
Doesn't that make you unhappy? Because there's always something can be better in your life, and you're always in a mindset of lack.
Re: How do you live your life?
#47Personally I've decided that life is absolutely meaningless, and I've found that to be incredibly liberating. It's helped me to not put so much pressure on myself to achieve (achieve what?) and live more in the present. It's a shame that people who don't find meaning in their life tend to take the opposite tack toward depression. Or others gravitate toward followership to anyone who will tell them how to live. If I c…
I feel the same way. Every single time I place a ton of importance on something, whether it's a relationship, or a project/career, it always comes back to bite me when I realize I can't have it all, and don't have 100% control of circumstances in my life.
To me, living life and always wondering whether I'm making the most of it every step along the way takes the fun out of it. Of course some introspection is good, of course, but I don't like to take life so seriously.
Re: How do you live your life?
#48Personally I've decided that life is absolutely meaningless, and I've found that to be incredibly liberating. It's helped me to not put so much pressure on myself to achieve (achieve what?) and live more in the present. It's a shame that people who don't find meaning in their life tend to take the opposite tack toward depression. Or others gravitate toward followership to anyone who will tell them how to live. If I c…
I recommend you read this book: http://www.amazon.com/Four-Agreements-Practical-Personal-Fre...
I'll send you a copy if you like...
Re: How do you live your life?
#49Let's try to rationalize the question. Raising a family is slowly losing some appeal due to overpopulation, possibilities of dramatic life extension, and the mere fact that it's something that everyone can do (and does). Also, history books never mention someone as a good parent. In the end it's an investment decision: what are you willing to invest your most precious resource (your time) on? It depends on what kind…
I think it is unhealthy to think that only rare achievements are worthwhile. That leads to misery and warfare. I don't want to live in a world where 99% are losers, even if I am in the 1%.
Re: How do you live your life?
#50Earlier quoted context omitted.
We are all fragile, lonely beasts. The history books don't bring that up either.
Probably because it doesn't matter for history
The human story can explain a lot about history. For example, Hitler's rage, Bush's vendetta against Saddam, and every proletariat revolution ever.