don't sweat the small stuff
the ideas that i share below are discussed in rolf dobelli’s the art of the good life.1
why do some of us get frustrated over the smallest things?
if the price of gas increases by a couple of cents, the effect it would have on most of us is negligible. our stock portfolio fluctuates every day, and we don’t let it get to us. so why do we let a couple of cents ruin our mood?
if you’re ordering something from the menu, add fifty percent to the cost of the items and when you pay the bill, you will have already accounted for the additional fees: service, tax, and tips. it will probably come out cheaper than expected.
if you are stuck in traffic and some cars cut ahead of you, there is no need to feel anything about it. losing a few minutes due to traffic daily might give you one extra year of life. just let the other cars cut ahead of you. act as if you’re doing a deed. it might even make you happy–who knows?
the truth is if we want to live a good life, we must trick our brains into accepting the small things that might frustrate us–many of which we can predict beforehand. we must not sweat the small things in life.
edited: 2024-07-02
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A Swiss author and entrepreneur, Rolf Dobelli was born in Luzern, Switzerland. He has an MBA and holds a PhD in economic philosophy. ↩