Delving Deeper into the Issue

This isn’t merely about the quantity of work.

I'm comfortable dedicating my time to worthwhile endeavors. My goal isn't to trade my hours for money; rather, I aspire to enrich others' lives through my creations, dedicating many hours joyfully to this pursuit.

I reject the concept of a strict ‘work-life balance’:

“Every goal you chase counts as ‘work’. Work encompasses everything you wish to accomplish in life. It’s about realizing your potential and expressing your true self.”

This belief influences various aspects of my life, including my blog and podcast.

Right and Wrong Motivations

About a year ago, I engaged in Tim Ferriss’ fear-setting exercise, where you identify your fears and contemplate the potential negative outcomes if those fears materialize. Often, you discover that the cost of inaction is greater than the cost of failure.

One of my fears might seem odd:

“What if I let myself do what I genuinely enjoy?”

I worried that allowing myself to enjoy activities would derail my progress toward my goals. I believed that maximizing experiences equated to hard work. Achieving anything meaningful requires self-discipline, and therein lies the essence of life.

These fears still linger.

Having absorbed self-improvement literature, I might have taken to heart ideas like those from Benjamin P. Hardy:

“If it’s not challenging, it’s not worth pursuing.”

Consequently, I fear that when I find joy in reading, writing, and podcasting, I’m somehow failing.

Reflecting on My Day

Every evening, I journal to reassess my goals and determine if I made progress that day. I note three positive occurrences and identify one area for improvement.

Lately, that point for improvement has remained unchanged.

Despite having good days, I realized I wasn’t enjoying them. My journal repeatedly urged me to:

Be much happier.

I didn’t find joy in the activities I knew I loved.

I have always divided my time into work and leisure hours, and, following Hardy’s philosophy, I’ve often dismissed enjoyment during work hours.

After all, there’s a mission to accomplish, and cheerfulness feels out of place.

The belief that happiness comes only after completion is entrenched. If you work “all the time” and view work as devoid of fun, this mindset is understandable.

This is not how I wish to live.

A Misguided Path

It has become evident how the pursuit of self-improvement has adversely affected me.

What initially brought joy has become a measure of achievement.

When an activity focuses on accomplishment, it can feel inappropriate to prioritize enjoyment. Challenges often come with difficulties, and the proper mindset, as Hardy suggests, is to “keep going until it’s done.”

You strive for success, making enjoyment seem like the wrong motivation.

Thus, the process that once delighted you may now feel like an obligation.

Understanding Success in Life

When I adopt this mindset, I equate productivity with worth.

This equation is flawed.

Holding myself to this standard transforms me into a stressed individual—impatient and eager to hustle. I may even grow frustrated with colleagues I appreciate for “taking away” my time.

These may be my personal flaws.

Generally speaking, linking value with productivity indicates that you’re taking life too seriously. Why endure unpleasant experiences to meet your goals?

Self-improvement often carries an inflated sense of self-importance, leading to condescension toward “ordinary people.”

Why such judgment?

A part of this mentality stems from genuine frustration:

“Why am I missing family dinners to ____ while you work part-time?”

This complaint lacks justification.

Newsflash:

They don’t need to do anything.

And neither do you.

Living this way causes you to miss out on what truly matters.

While your work is significant, this mindset misrepresents what it means to succeed in life.

What truly counts is being effective while maintaining your humanity.

Extreme productivity does not impress me; prioritizing health does.

What Does Research Reveal?

An essential question remains: is there indeed a negative correlation between enjoyment and engaging in worthwhile activities?

If so, statements like “if it doesn’t suck, it’s not worth doing” might hold some validity, despite their harshness.

The underlying idea seems to be that enjoyment is fleeting—the long-term commitment required to achieve significant goals is difficult. If you abandon your efforts at the first sign of trouble, you likely won’t progress far.

However, research presents a more nuanced perspective.

Studies by motivation experts Ayelet Fischbach and Kaitlin Woolley indicate that enjoyment is a strong predictor of persistence in long-term goals and New Year’s resolutions.

Psychological research suggests that the experience itself holds more significance than sheer willpower.

When assessing whether someone will stick with a task, knowing if they enjoy the daily routine is more telling than gauging their mental toughness.

Self-discipline is valuable but should be employed wisely. Over-relying on it may require a reevaluation of your motivations—it won’t carry you through.

Nonetheless, there is some validity to the link between difficulty and value emphasized by Hardy-like thinkers.

Meaning in Life

John Stuart Mill, the renowned Utilitarian, distinguished between ‘higher’ and ‘lower’ pleasures:

“It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied.”

In essence, Mill argued that happiness derived from overcoming challenges is superior to happiness gained through ease.

In this context, proponents of hard work rightly differentiate pleasure from happiness. There’s truth in Hardy’s assertion that enduring challenges can yield greater joy.

A life spent endlessly consuming entertainment likely lacks meaning.

However, we must not swing to the opposite extreme. Enjoyment should not be regarded as an adversary—pleasure and purpose are not mutually exclusive.

Ideologies like “if it doesn’t suck, it’s not worth doing” are counterproductive to successfully navigating life, as life is a solitary journey. The only metric that matters is internal.

Additionally, if this is your approach, you risk undermining the very source of your motivation. Enjoyment comes from a finite well; once it runs dry, you face what we call “burnout.”

A more effective mantra might be:

“If it’s truly unenjoyable, consider doing something else.”

Identifying What Matters

In closing, I want to stress two key points.

On a strategic level, it’s crucial not to mistake growth pains for the burdens of mindless perseverance.

Remember that (1) you don’t need to do anything, so there’s no reward awaiting you, and (2) enjoyment is essential for persistence. This implies that finding joy in the process is more crucial—and less superficial—than it may initially appear.

On a deeper level, consider that mantras such as James Clear’s “fall in love with the boredom” and Benjamin Hardy’s “if it doesn’t suck, it isn’t worth doing” stem from rather bleak life philosophies.

Often, when you persist in doing something unenjoyable, you’re not showcasing heroism but rather making a mistake. Similarly, enduring prolonged boredom is rarely justified.

I’m seeking to change.

The first question I now pose to my journal is no longer “Did I make progress toward my goals?” Instead, I reflect on whether I enjoyed my day and if I was the person I aspire to be.

These are the things that truly matter.

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