One of the oldest problems that humans have had to deal with is the problem of suffering. Life is full of unpleasant experiences, both psychological and physical.
But it goes even deeper than this: the knowledge of our own mortality is an existential burden that weighs heavily on us. At times life seems purposeless and even absurd.
What are we to do about this?
I am curious by nature. I love learning new ideas and concepts. Especially ones that cause me to see the world in new and novel ways.
This love of learning new things is generally a good thing...except when it’s not. Sometimes too much information can be counterproductive.
Consuming information is pointless unless you use it to better your life or someone else’s. By constantly seeking new information and failing to take the time to fully digest what you've already consumed, you neither fully absorb it nor use it. It's like chewing a nutritious meal and then spitting it out before swallowing. You don't get any of the benefits.
What's important is not the sheer quantity of information you consume but rather how much of it you retain and actually put to use…
We hear it all the time:
"Do what you love!"
"Follow your passion!"
Everyone from Confucius and Joseph Campbell to Steve Jobs and Richard Branson have been quoted as giving some form of this advice. Usually it’s in relation to how we make a living.
The problem is that we are seldom given concrete instructions for how to actually go about doing what we love.
As a result, this message often comes across as abstract, impractical, or worse, unachievable, leading many people to dismiss the advice and even go so far as to call it unintelligent or irresponsible.
This is due to some simple but crucial misunderstandings and misconceptions that have turned into full blown myths surrounding this topic.
I want to clear up some of these myths now.
