We all want to live a good life. But what makes a good life?
I'd argue that a good life is a life of adventure.

Living an Adventurous Life

 

I read an article a while back about what makes a good life. It says that an important element of a good life is something called “psychological richness.” Here is an excerpt:

According to this view, a good life is one that is interesting, varied and surprising—even if some of those surprises aren’t necessarily pleasant ones. In fact, the things that make a life psychologically rich may actually make it less happy in the ordinary sense. After all, to put it bluntly, a happy life can also be boring. Adventures, explorations and crises may be painful, but at least they’re interesting.

I agree with this view. In Tim Ferriss’ words, “The opposite of happiness is boredom.” The opposite of happiness is not a bad event; it’s boredom. Even if everything seems to go well, without some “richness” it’s not exactly the kind of life that I want to live.

So what would define a good life?

In my opinion, a good life is a life of adventure. The word “adventure” implies doing something new. It implies the possibility of surprise. It implies excitement.

This, by the way, is how Steve Jobs convinced the reluctant Wozniak to quit his stable job and start Apple. He told Wozniak that, even if they failed, they would have a fun adventure.

How can you live a life of adventure?

In a nutshell, you must be willing to take risks. You must embrace the unknown. You must view the unknown as exciting rather than scary.

It also means that you must be willing to leave your comfort zone. When something has become predictable, maybe it’s time for you to move to something new. Maybe it’s time for you to enter a new season in life.

The great thing about living a life of adventure is it can help you minimize lifetime regrets. Years from now, you won’t have to wonder whether you passed a great opportunity in the past.

Furthermore, you don’t need to be adventurous in your ideal sense of the word. You just need to be more adventurous than you are now. Just like everything else in life, you can get better at this.

Living an adventurous life may not be easy, but it’s definitely worth the effort. You will get a life of excitement and fulfillment as your reward. You will get a life worth living.

Comments

Post a Comment

Thank you for your time & comments!

Popular posts from this blog

6 TYPES OF TOXIC PEOPLE..

  When you find no solution to a problem,  its probably not a problem to be solved,  but a truth to be accepted .  - Unknown..  THE ENERGY DRAINER                                                                                                    They make you feel tense.                    They put you down for no reason.                                   Can't be happy for other's good fortune.                  THE PESSIMIST     Talks down to you to make themselves feel better. Only cares about themselves. Tries to talk you out of our dreams.  THE MANIPULATOR                                                                      Tries to control everything.                                       Pretends to be like you & other people.                   Wants to make every decision for  themselves    & others.              THE VICTIM  Blames others for their misfortune. Constantly seeks attention from others. Talks mostly about their  excuses for failing.                
Read more

Why do we compare our life to that of others?

Image
I got the answer to the above question in a lay man's language.  Comparision makes you think that you are either inferior or superior.  These are the two complexes. Remember that you are a unique person. A rose can't be compared with a lotus. A rose has its own fragrance and beauty. It is appreciated for itself.  When you compete, you are trying to prove yourself better than the others or at least equal to them. You do so because you think you are lesser in some way.  Why should women compete with men? They have unique qualities. Every person, man or woman, has a special talent and ability. Do what you're good at doing. There is no need for competition. By competition, you are creating stress for yourself. You must recognize your own ability, gift, talent, and potential.  Empower yourself. Be confident. An illiterate person may paint a masterpiece that will be recognized one day. Have patience.  Sometimes we compare ourselves with others out of jealousy, and sometimes out o
Read more

Why do we blame others for our misfortune?

Image
 In fact, it is you who should answer this! If it is your misfortune, why should you blame someone else? Every one of us is required to do two things in life - we have to face challenges that come our way and build our life. And the responsibility lies on our shoulders alone. No one can live another person's life, not even our near and dear ones. Others can help, but your life will have to be lived by you, and my life has to be lived by me. Each one of us has the freedom to make our choices and act accordingly. Then why should we blame anybody else? The blame game is only to escape our responsibilities.  The other day, I read a joke. The husband sat down to eat his food. He found that there was too much salt in the vegetable dish. He asked his wife why it was so. The wife was very wise. She said, "I have put the same amount of salt as I put every day; it is you who has brought fewer vegetables today. So the fault lies with you!!" She would not accept her mistake and apolo
Read more