March 20, 2007
Wealth and Greatness are Mere Trinkets of Frivolous Utility
I read this profile of James Montier and was curious about his Ten Rules for Happiness. Here they are, ordered and grouped by my preference:
- Exercise regularly.
- Give your body the sleep it needs.
- Devote time and effort to close relationships.
- Have sex (preferably with someone you love).
- Take control of your life, set yourself achievable goals.
- Seek work that engages your skills, look to enjoy your job.
- Pause for reflection, meditate on the good things in life.
- Don’t pursue happiness for its own sake, enjoy the moment
- Don’t equate happiness with money.
- Remember to follow all the rules.
…
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[can anyone explain what the first bit means?]
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Cat: | Time: 10:38 pm (utc+8)
March 21st, 2007 at 2:31 am
Number 8 might be better said as, “don’t equate pleasure with happiness.” Pleasure tends to be transitory (instant gratification, etc.), where as (true) happiness tends to be more constant.
Also, the most important one should be “practice gratitude.” It is hard to be unhappy when you wake up every day grateful.
March 21st, 2007 at 3:26 am
I will take a different tack on #8. Happiness is a by-product. By pursuing the other items on the list, happiness will result. It is not effective to consciously pursue it as an end in itself.
Also, concerning gratitude - I see this all the time, however, gratitude can lead to fear. If I am grateful for what I have, I am also conscious of being able to lose it. Gratitude for specific things in life is a dependency.
March 21st, 2007 at 5:02 am
It is a commendable list. I just got back from the gym after having not been for a week, and I feel wonderful.
After reading your list, I am led to wonder if the constant barrage of advertising we are fed from a young age leads us to associate material possession with happiness, despite the fact that much of the list doesn’t require monetary wealth to be attained. A kind of con…a creation of ‘needs’. Perhaps the endless advertising and marketing creates a hard-wiring in our brains such that when we buy an item and the happiness quickly evaporates, we figure we need something bigger and better (what Montier and others call hedonic adaptation).
Personally, since I left the rat race the equation of money=satisfaction has truly broken down. It just so happens that I love the markets and so I am trading…mmm, perhaps I am the deluded one.
Anyway, the full paper by Montier can be found here
March 21st, 2007 at 8:20 am
Great stuff here you posted. I am taking the next 2 weeks off trading and today I had too much in outside distractions going on to focus strongly. Excercise is so key for me and I like that it is on top of this list. If you feel good about yourself, I think the rest of the items start falling into place. The doubt leaves when you feel good about yourself. I do try and live in the moment and my kids really force me to do that. Thanks for these posts. Great stuff.
March 21st, 2007 at 11:16 am
MissTrade: Thanks for visiting and for sharing your thoughts (which I agree with).
March 21st, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Re:Quints
But by the very act of being grateful, you are eschewing entitlement or expectation, so I don’t see how you can become dependant on it.
ADD Trader
March 21st, 2007 at 1:44 pm
ADD: “eschewing entitlement or expectation” … whoa, baby, velly niiice. I think I see what Quints is saying though about not dwelling on the things you’re grateful for … I’m a proponent of a kind of fleeting gratitude.
March 21st, 2007 at 10:26 pm
Don’t pursue happiness for its own sake, enjoy the moment
[can anyone explain what the first bit means?]
dont do not overkill and push to do the stuff that you think it is going to make you happy. but rather when you are happy enjoy that moment and appreciate it.
March 22nd, 2007 at 12:01 am
Appreciate happy and sad, its all good. Cycles are natural enjoy the ups and the downs.
March 22nd, 2007 at 12:56 am
I didn’t know the Chairman was a Smith reader. Although the Smithian TOFU are pocket watches.
March 22nd, 2007 at 7:47 am
bjk: I don’t know Smith from Adam. ;-)
March 23rd, 2007 at 12:15 am
I don’t know about lists like that. If you have to look to them for guidance, then your probably on the wrong track. I devised a simple list which I think is much more effective and easier to remember. Here it is:
1. Don’t be unhappy.
Accomplish that, and Tada! you have successfully achieved happiness.
March 24th, 2007 at 12:03 am
What about sunscreen? Never forget sunscreen?
As for #8: “Don’t pursue happiness for its own sake, enjoy the moment”, I understood as don’t just set your goal to happiness, enjoy the journey there too.
That applies to pretty much everything. Just reaching for a goal (becoming a master trader, getting a third degree black belt) is boring if you don’t get satisfaction out of the journey.
March 26th, 2007 at 8:32 pm
I agree with the above comment. Journey is more important than the goals.
March 27th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
Joy: I’ve never bought into this “journey” thing … you live, you struggle, you succeed, you fail … but I’ve never considered any of it a “journey.”