Hedonistic Adaptation, Managing Anxiety, and the Benefits of Being Happy on Your Own
Hedonistic Adaptation, Managing Anxiety, and the Benefits of Being Happy on Your Own
43 minutes of listening --> 3 minutes of reading
Today’s podcast: Episode 2 of The Diary of a CEO, by Steven Bartlett:
*If you are in a rush, scroll to the bottom for a summary*
Hedonistic Adaptation:
7:36 minutes.
What was discussed:
Steven outlines the notion of hedonistic adaptation. He defines it, in this context, as the pursuit of materialistic objects or experiences. Once those things have been attained or achieved, the baseline of expectation resets at a higher standard, making it harder for us to appreciate things that once would have made us extremely happy. After stating this, he then describes the fact that most people don’t actually want to be millionaires. They merely want to experience what they believe being a millionaire will allow them to feel, through desired outcomes and accessibility.
Separately to this, an important distinction is also made between pleasure, which stems from the temporary enjoyment of something materialistic or a dopamine-inducing experience, and happiness, which is described as contentment.
Takeaways:
The points made by Steven made a profound impact on my current mindset, as a young professional who is constantly in pursuit of promotion, financial goals, and other short-term experiences. While these short-term luxuries are certainly beneficial for my motivation and self-guidance, they often cloud out my ability to remain grateful for what I already have.
After reflecting on this part of the podcast a few hours after hearing it, I’ve already started to see a dilution of anxiety and my perpetual search for the ‘next big thing’. If you resonate with this, I recommend that you try and take a moment to list off 10 things you’re grateful for in your life. I have found it’s restored a calm and positive attitude, while allowing me to be comfortable committing to activities that will provide delayed gratification, through being happy with where I’m currently at. Don’t forget how badly you wanted the things you have now.
Managing Anxiety:
37:55 minutes.
What was discussed:
Steven outlines him trying meditative techniques to try and block out the millions of thoughts that rush through his head everyday. This is certainly something that I relate to, and I’m sure you will relate to as well.
He explains the benefits of focusing on one simple thing, such as leaves on a tree moving in the wind. When he applied all of his mental focus on the leaves and took a deep breath, he felt at peace. This allowed him to better understand the quote from Lao Tzu, “If you are depressed you are living in the past; if you are anxious you are living in the future; if you are at peace you are living in the present”.
Takeaways:
Given the age of this particular podcast episode, it’s interesting to see how many mindfulness activities have graced mainstream popularity since it’s release. I also think this section of the podcast links back to the notion of hedonistic adaptation discussed previously. I am actively going to try to be more mindful about where I’m at in life, instead of focusing too much on the future. At the end of the day, tomorrow is not guaranteed, and all we really have is the moment we’re currently living in. I’m feeling a strong sense of pragmatism as the phrase ‘Carpe Diem’ floats around in my head.
Happiness Alone Affects Happiness Together:
40:00 minutes.
What was discussed:
After Steven discusses a brief segment about his personal relationships, he explains the misconception people have about entrepreneurship being a lonely venture. He states that while it is, on the surface, a lonely path to take, it’s not something that actually feels lonely. In reality, he loves what he does and is very happy being alone as an entrepreneur. He attributes this constant state of happiness and contentment as the reason he’s able to get up everyday and strive towards a goal which may be months/years ahead. Finally, this conversation then wraps back around to the relationship discussion, in which, Steven denotes that the people who are happiest alone are also the most stable people to be in relationships with.
Takeaways:
I agree with a lot of what Steven talks about in this segment. I find that I can be very happy and content alone, which is why I resonate with it well. However, I also find that having a strong group of people that you know are there when you need them can make lonesome happiness an easier feat to achieve. Fundamentally, the theme of this podcast episode has been about finding a way to be content (happy), even if the worst case scenarios were to occur in your professional or personal life. Having a strong foundation to be grateful for seems to be one of the keys to success and will most likely feed into the ability to take risks in order to progress, without feeling like the world’s ending if something goes wrong.
Summary
Hedonistic adaptation is something we should be wary of. We should always strive to be content with where we’re at in life, no matter how much we long to be somewhere better.
Managing anxiety is something that links back to hedonistic adaptation. If you spend too much time thinking about the future, you’re likely to forget about the only thing that’s real… the present.
Happiness alone will often make happiness with someone else a lot easier. If you know you are content when you’re alone, it can often eliminate the anxiety of ensuring you’re happy with others.
Overall, we should all try to be more grateful for what we have, in order to make it easier to take the risks which will allow us to succeed. Contentment is a true key to success.