A.G. Riddle Quote Explanation

This quote shows how our desires and focus change over time. Try to recall a few times when you got something you really wanted. In the moment, you were probably very happy and excited. However, as time went on, your focus probably was directed to other things like other desires, concerns, distractions, problems, etc. You probably forgot about this super amazing thing you received in the past. This is a common phenomenon in my life and every person's life. The struggle is to recognize this and to make sure you direct yourself and a lot of your decisions to things that bring you meaning and fulfillment. Meaning and fulfillment will last you a life time. For example, striving to become a better athlete not only can lead to trophies and accolades, it can also lead to better physical health, a stronger mindset, and it can build your character. These benefits of health, mindset, and character will last forever and you can pass them onto others, especially your own kids.

In "Pensees," Blaise Pascal brings up the idea of how people are always searching for something to make them happy, but at the end of the day, they are still miserable. Continually giving into passing desires will be pleasant in the moment, but in the long term it will create a bad habit. It is important to treat ourselves especially after working hard or achieving a milestone, but treating ourselves must not be overdone as it can be dangerous. Gaining possessions and immediate dopamine and pleasures could be something that you start to chase. This chase may be something you think you have control of, but you fall into addiction with it and will dig yourself a deeper hole. You don't have control of external things. When you try to control your happiness and base it on external things, it leaves you more disappointed. Pascal also mentions how there will always be a trouble to worry about in life. Think about the span of your lifetime... You probably were worried about at least one trouble during each one of your days. This ties directly into the quote this post is about. A sick person's only concern and wish is to get healthy again, but a healthy person has many concerns and many wishes. Imagine you are in the role of the sick person (lacking basic necessities, being homeless, ill, imprisoned, injured, starving, and/or thirsty, etc.). Would you still want to purchase what you are considering to purchase right now? Do you really need this or more of that? Differentiate between your needs, your important wants, and your not so important wants. Make sure to consider if you will use what you are going to get, if it will help others in some way, if you can share it with others in some way, etc. Think more. Don't be rash. In addition, learn to work through and live joyfully through each day no matter if you are facing a minor or major difficulty. Remember there will always be something to worry about and there will always be troubles. It is up to you how you decide to go through it. Are you going to be joyful through it or are you going to be miserable and anxious?

Beware of believing your material possessions are apart of your identity. When you start to overvalue material possessions you have created an unhealthy attachment with them.  Then, if you were to lose some or all of these possessions or if there was a threat against them, you would probably respond irrationally and make dangerous decisions. You will also end up feeling broken inside because you probably tied your worth and your happiness to those items. You would probably think, "These things made me happy. I lost them. I won't be happy anymore." This statement is incorrect and detrimental to you. Your primary and foundational happiness (your joy) shouldn't be limited by changing factors like material possessions or the circumstances you are in. It will lead you to never having control over your happiness.

This is where the ideas of joy, gratitude, acceptance, meaning, and fulfillment come in. Choose joy instead of chasing happiness. Joy is something you can start to embrace when you decide to remove your ego, accept things as they are, refocus on the good in situations, and be grateful and loving along the way. Joy doesn't stay within you, it naturally spreads to others. It is something you can control and tap into. It is not limited by your circumstances or any external factor. Gratitude goes hand in hand with joy. Be grateful for everything you have and treat every physical thing you have as something you don't deserve, as gifts. Think about the bigger picture. Think about, empathize, and try to help all those suffering because they don't have their basic needs met. Accept what you have in life and realize when you die you can't bring any material thing with you. Strive  for meaning and fulfillment. These not only build who you are, they also help you to realize your character and what you can control (your decisions, your effort, your attitude, etc.) is much more important than anything external (other people's actions, others' opinions of you, material possessions, money, cars, a house, etc.). Just like the stoics teach, things happen. Inevitable difficulties and injustices happen. It is how you respond that matters.

The knowledge in this post is extremely valuable. Take it with you and share it with others! You can do it!