{"id":115136,"date":"2018-10-09T17:19:00","date_gmt":"2018-10-10T00:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=115136"},"modified":"2018-10-09T17:19:33","modified_gmt":"2018-10-10T00:19:33","slug":"happiness-do-what-you-want-to-do-and-dont-do-what-you-dont-want-to-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2018\/10\/09\/happiness-do-what-you-want-to-do-and-dont-do-what-you-dont-want-to-do\/","title":{"rendered":"Happiness: Do What You Want to Do (And Don’t Do What You Don’t Want to Do)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear friend,<\/p>\n

Ever since I was a kid– I was always seeking the truth of ‘happiness’. I tried to first of all define ‘happiness’, then figuring out how to achieve it.<\/p>\n

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\"illustration<\/p>\n

My simple idea:<\/p>\n

\n Happiness is doing what you want to do, and NOT<\/em> doing what you don’t want to do.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I don’t think that happiness has to do with owning stuff, acquiring stuff, or is related with money.<\/p>\n

I ultimately think that ‘happiness’ is freedom of action. Freedom of what to do (positive action) and freedom of what NOT<\/em> to do (negative action).<\/p>\n

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How NOT to do what you DON’T<\/em> want to do.<\/h2>\n
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I actually think happiness is mostly ‘via negativa’ (in the words of Nassim Taleb). What we decide to remove, subtract, or NOT<\/em> to do is what brings us more happiness in life.<\/p>\n

99% of people I know don’t like their jobs, or would prefer NOT<\/em> to show up at work everyday.<\/p>\n

I think one of the first steps to happiness-freedom is this:<\/p>\n

\n Become self-employed.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The great thing about becoming self-employed is this:<\/p>\n

\n You decide how much to work, or how little to work, and you can determine when to work and when NOT<\/em> to work.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Thus, if you want to seek freedom in life, become an entrepreneur<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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How to do what you want to do<\/h2>\n
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This is one of the most difficult things in life:<\/p>\n

\n Figuring out what you really like to do– purely for yourself, for the sake of it.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For myself, I enjoy taking pictures, making videos, writing, writing poetry, making beats, learning, having engaging conversations with friends and family– all for the sake of it!<\/p>\n

In other words:<\/p>\n

\n What do you actually enjoy doing– while having fun?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And not only that but:<\/p>\n

\n That thing you enjoy doing– how does it challenge you, develop you, and grow you?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Ultimately to figure out what you like doing must be self-dictated. Don’t wait around for people tell you what to do. Don’t read books on telling what you “should” do. Determine and dictate what you desire to do with your (short) life.<\/p>\n

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Flow state<\/h2>\n
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One of the best mental states to be in is a state of ‘flow<\/a>‘. This state is when you are pushing your creative limits to the maximum, and you are so enraptured with focus, that your ego, time, and self seem to evaporate.<\/p>\n

Generally to achieve a flow state– you must be doing something active<\/strong>. In other words, it is difficult to achieve this flow state by doing something passive (consumptive behaviors). Rather, I feel that we can best achieve this state of flow through producing– through what I refer to as ‘producerism<\/a>‘. The basic idea is this:<\/p>\n

\n Let us spend 90% of our time and energy producing and making stuff, and only 10% of our time and effort consuming.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In other words:<\/p>\n

\n Produce more than you consume.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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The creative duty<\/h2>\n
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Never stop making, creating, exploring, learning, and sharing.<\/p>\n

This is your duty. Oh yeah, and don’t forget to have fun while you’re at it!<\/p>\n

BE BRAZEN,
\nERIC<\/p>\n

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Philosophy by KIM<\/a><\/h1>\n

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Dictate your meaning and purpose in your life with ZEN OF ERIC<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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Philosophical Essays<\/h2>\n