

Ask HN: What makes you happy? - withoutfriction

Alternative title: how to be happy?
======
arn
I think when seeking this advice, you need to be aware of what people _think_
will make them happy vs. finding people that are actually happy.

It's easy to spout off things that in your head "will make you happy" -- but
don't listen to those people. Since they haven't actually made it there.

It's like how winning the lottery doesn't actually make people happy. Ask
those people before they win the lotto, what would make them happy, I bet a
good number of them would list winning the lotto. Ultimately, the lotto
doesn't actually make them happier.

(I think the key is that there is no state of absolute happiness. You have to
"work" at being happy. Not necessarily through action, but perhaps by
awareness.)

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dstein
I learned this trick from <http://thinktrylearn.com/>

Step 1: Think. Next time you approach something new, think of it as an
experiment. Be curious, with a healthy sense of detachment. A scientist would
say "I don't know, let's see what happens," and so can you!

Step 2: Try. Decide what you will try in your experiment. Challenge yourself
to do something you might not have done before. Think about how will you
measure success. How will you enjoy the journey in addition to the outcome?

Step 3: Learn. Observe what happens and learn from it. The final outcome might
be different from your measurement of success. Expect to be surprised.

~~~
rick_2047
Thanks for telling me that what I am doing for most of my life is actually a
formal paradigm and has to learned from a website :)

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verticalflight
The key to happiness is setting goals that are recognizably stretch goals for
oneself (but not so stretch that they are unachievable), then achieving them,
and then taking pause to reflect on the successful achievement of those goals.

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spacelaw
Watch this: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaW4Ol3_M1o>

When you know you're going to die all you have time for is happiness. Ask any
old person rotting away their last days in existence in a dilapidated
convalescent home. The point is you don't have to wait until you're old to
reap the power your death gives you.

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driftsumi-e
This is something I'm trying to hone in on these days.

Recognize and appreciate the little moments in life. At times, we absorb
ourselves in the grind of our projects that we easily lose sight of simply
enjoying the little things for what they are - a good conversation, a nice
view, putting together a nice meal, etc.

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dmm
Key to happiness(according to Vonnegut): Low expectations.

Key to being good at something while also being happy(who knows but you can
try this): decouple self-worth from achievement. Base self-worth on pursuit of
consistent, deliberate practice.

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enf
Being able to solve someone's problem (including my own). Walking around in
San Francisco.

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yourfavwhiteguy
Recognizing that I'm part of a group that works smarter, not harder. Also
having the means to spend my life with a mixture of work and play.

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kunley
Doing things I couldn't imagine I'do some time ago.

It requires constantly checking and crossing your comfort zone, but it's sooo
worth!!

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AndyParkinson
When I'm working on what I love when I want to and without feeling like I have
to. In other words, finding freedom.

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agentcris
Proving others wrong.

