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Clay

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Jonathan Mead of JonathanMead.com.

Boredom

In The 4-Hour Work Week, author Tim Ferriss suggests that the opposite of happiness is boredom and that what really drives our happiness is the ability to find continual excitement.

I’m in agreement with Tim; the opposite of happiness isn’t sadness, depression, anxiety, guilt or anger. These feelings aren’t desirable, but they’re also not the antithesis of happiness. Lack of fulfillment, I believe, is the opposite of happiness.

Many people have conceptually explored the path to happiness and I’m surely not the first to observe the importance of asking the right questions.  Our results are generally good when we positively frame inquiries by asking questions such as "what can I do to make things better?" or "what can I do to improve this situation?"  However, when we negatively frame our thoughts with questions like: "why do bad things always happen to me," or "why am I so unlucky," we only manage to reinforce our negative experiences.

Changing our Goals

Many societally conditionally goals — such as "get out of debt," "buy a new car," and "create a college fund," — can be fine and noble, but they often do not make us come alive.  What would really make your day, I mean, if you could do anything? Think about that for a second.

If you dig deep within to answer this question, I bet your answer might be something a little different than the average idea of a "great day." If you really answer this question from your soul, you’ll discover aspirations that really move you. Here are a few of mine:

• Ski down a killer slope in Park City, Utah
• Take a Tantra class
• Read a great novel for the first time
• Go on a group meditation or retreat
• Play music with others, lose track of time, and get lost in sound

You see, when all our goals revolve around efficiency, money, looks, networking, etc., we lose track of why we wanted these things in the first place. Indeed, we often envision such goals because we want more time and energy to do things that truly excite us and bring deep fulfilling happiness. I challenge you to incorporate goals and aspirations that really excite and move you. Don’t get caught up in mundane, socially acceptable goals. Find out what really inspires you and make a commitment to live your life with a deeper level of satisfaction starting today.

Jonathan is the author of the blog JonathanMead.com, focused on finding Authenticity, Clarity and Balance in all aspects of our lives. His articles include 10 Way to Make Time for the Important and 7 Lessons from the World’s Greatest Minds.

[tags]4-Hour Work Week, 4HWW, continual excitement, goal setting, happiness, opposite of happiness, Tim Ferriss[/tags]

Escape 101, by Dan Clements and Tara Gignac, is as much about boldly creating personal change as it is about escaping our comfort zones. The book is not another over-romanticized travel guide for 20-somethings. It is deeply grounded in reality, was written for everyone from business owners to parents, and provides a step-by-step plan for getting its readers on sabbatical.

Because I enjoyed the e-book so much (it’s also available in print), I’m honored to present this interview with Dan. (Please see this book excerpt and consider joining Dan’s mailing list if you’d like a deeper look). Escape 101 is a book that stands to blow open your reality and show you how to break the rules in all the right ways; I believe this interview provides a taste of that.

Let’s get started . . .

At its core, Escape 101 seems to be more about lifestyle design than anything else.  What are some of the more interestingly designed lives you’ve seen?

I’ve met gold prospectors, people who deliver yachts from island to island, surf instructors, and jungle animal workers. We’ve traveled with people who have been on the road for years, people who’ve climbed Everest, people who worked with the sick, the poor and the homeless, and freelance writers and journalists who interview the rich and famous and travel the globe. Read the rest of this entry »