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Relationships are More Important than Ambition

Five takeaways:

  1. Ambition, the author argues, is viewed as a force that drives people forward. Conversely, relationships are often seen to hold people back from developing in life.
  2. The author cites a Journal of Applied Psychology a multidecade study that tracked the lives of ambitious children into adulthood. The study found, unsurprisingly, that children who exhibited more ambition early on went on to more illustrious and lucrative lives. But it also showed that early ambition was not as strongly correlated with wellbeing later in life. In fact, it showed that ambition is only weakly connected with well-being and negatively associated with longevity.
  3. The author cites psychologist Tim Kasser, who has shown that the pursuit of materialistic values like money, possessions, and social status– the fruits of career successes– is correlated with lower well-being and more distress. It can also come at the cost of meaningful personal relationships.
  4. Many studies have shown that community is strongly connected to well-being– more so than financial success. A 2009 Science study of 1.2million people showed that Louisiana was the happiest state… while the richest states like California, New York, and Connecticut, were listed among the least happy.
  5. Barry Schwartz, a psychological researcher based at Swarthmore College, notes that while relationships can have a limiting effect on one’s life, but that too much freedom in life can be detrimental: “Relationships are meant to constrain,” he says. “but if you’re always on the lookout for better, such constraints are experienced with bitterness and resentment.”

From Emily Esfahani Smith at The Atlantic:
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Note: At the time of this posting The Atlantic offers five free article views per month.

This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.

The Problem With ‘No Regrets’

Five takeaways:

  1. While a “no regrets” mindset might sound freeing, it falsely suggests that life can and should be lived without “looking through the rearview mirror.”
  2. A 2020 study of 15,000 people in 105 countries showed that 82% percent of respondents said they feel regret occasionally; 21% said they feel regret “all the time”; and 1% said they never feel regret.
  3. While being overwhelmed by regret is unhealthy, forcing yourself to completely do away with regret completely will curse you to repeat your mistakes
  4. Brooks cites a recent book by Daniel H. Pink that breaks regret into four different types:
    • Connection regret– regret over harmed or broken or lost relationships
    • Moral regret – regret over the violation of your own values
    • Foundation regret – regret over decisions that had a profound effect on your life (like wishing you had not moved to a city, or picked a different college major)
    • Boldness regret – regret over inaction or foregone opportunities
  5. Regret can overwhelm you, but shunning them is a lost opportunity to grow. We must learn from every aspect of our lives.

From Arthur C. Brooks at The Atlantic:
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Note: At the time of this posting The Atlantic offers five free article views per month.

This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.

Those Who Share a Roof Share Emotions

Four takeaways:

  1. It is scientifically proven that feelings are contagious– our moods affect the moods of those around us.
  2. One study of college students matched up depressed and nondepressed roommates, and found that on average, nondepressed roommates would soon start showing signs of depression– as early as five weeks after moving in.
  3. In cases where loved ones might be depressed or unhappy, we naturally want to help them weather the storm; Brooks offers tips for maintaining your own mental health while helping to bring happiness back to those around you:
    • Work on your own happiness first: you can’t help others to be happy when you yourself are miserable!
    • Do not take it personally: view a loved one’s unhappiness the way you would view a cold. Random & temporary. You are not to blame.
    • Use the element of surprise: spontaneity is your friend. Unhappy people will usually resist the feeling of being force-fed happiness.
    • Prevent the spread: control negative feeling by strategically avoiding the other person, and be conscious of your own mood when you speak with the other person.
  4. Unhappiness of those around us can indeed be contagious, but we don’t have to treat it like the pandemic. Unhappiness is inevitable, and when approached correctly can be an opportunity to “grow in love” for someone else.

From Arthur C. Brooks at The Atlantic:
Read the whole story.

Note: At the time of this posting The Atlantic offers five free article views per month.

This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.

10 Things to Remember About Memorial Day

Five takeaways:

  1. It began as a grassroots holiday– many towns had small yearly celebrations of the sacrifices of the nation’s veterans before the holiday was made official in 1868.
  2. The holiday was first celebrated after the Civil War, when it was called Decoration Day
  3. On Memorial Day in 1922, the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated– by Supreme Court Chief Justice and former president William Howard Taft
  4. In 1971, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act shifted Memorial Day from May 30 to the last Monday in May.
  5. In 2000, Congress established a National Moment of Remembrance, which asks Americans to pause for one minute at 3 p.m. in an act of national unity.

From David Holzel at Mental Floss:
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This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.
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