Note to new readers, this article is a continuation of last week’s “How to Not Want Things and Still Be Happy” and “How to Be an Effortless Achiever.” In those articles I showed how craving things causes pain and the alternative is to focus on the entire process, not just the goal. Goal-setting seems alien […]
How to Become an Effortless Achiever
This article is a continuation of How to Not Want Things and Still Be Happy. In that article I argued that craving creates pain, and that the solution is to focus on the entire process instead of just the goal. This may seem obvious, but in practice it is difficult to do. In this article […]
How to Not Want Things and Still Be Happy
The Buddha once claimed that desire creates suffering. On the surface this seems to make sense. You feel pain when you don’t get what you want. The solution, in Buddhism, is to cease desiring things and therefore your suffering will end. Somehow, that doesn’t feel right. Sure, desire may create pain, but doesn’t it also […]
14 Tips for a Less Materialistic Lifestyle
“The things you own end up owning you.” – Tyler Durden in Fight Club Beyond a minimum threshold of poverty, having more things doesn’t make people happier. But in a society driven by consumption, it can be hard to realize this truth. Living a less materialistic lifestyle doesn’t mean becoming a monk and abstaining from […]
I'm a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, podcast host, computer programmer and an avid reader. Since 2006, I've published weekly essays on this website to help people like you learn and think better. My work has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, TEDx, Pocket, Business Insider and more. I don't promise I have all the answers, just a place to start.