Stumbling on Happiness
Archives: Daily Issues
Issue# 2723
- WEALTHY: Does money really matter? (Alex Green)
- HEALTHY: Should you eat before you work out? (Kelley Herring)
- WISE: Fanny Burney on happiness
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- Online publishing is easier than you think (David Cross)
- You’re not really irreplaceable (Yanik Silver)
- It’s Good to Know… about the new generation of ATM skimmers
- Add “occiput” to your vocabulary
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“How little has situation to do with happiness.”
- Fanny Burney
Stumbling On Happiness
By Alex Green
The recent decline in home values and the stock market – not to mention corporate and municipal bond markets – has left most investors with less than they had a year ago. To meet their long-term investment goals, many will have to spend less and save more than they originally planned.
This is not easy. As the economist Adam Smith wrote in The Wealth of Nations in 1776:
“The desire for food is limited in every man by the narrow capacity of the human stomach; but the desire of the conveniences and ornaments of building, dress, equipage, and household furniture, seems to have no limit or certain boundary.”
In the current economic downturn, many of us are unable to afford all the things we want. That pinches. But should it make us unhappy?
That depends. But for most of us, the answer is a resounding no.
As Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert writes in Stumbling On Happiness:
“Economists and psychologists have spent decades studying the relation between wealth and happiness, and they have generally concluded that wealth increases human happiness when it lifts people out of abject poverty and into the middle class but that it does little to increase happiness thereafter. Americans who earn $50,000 per year are much happier than those who earn $10,000 per year, but Americans who earn $5 million per year are not much happier than those who earn $100,000 per year. People who live in poor nations are much less happy than people who live in moderately wealthy nations, but people who live in moderately wealthy nations are not much less happy than people who live in extremely wealthy nations. Economists explain that wealth has ‘declining marginal utility,’ which is a fancy way of saying that it hurts to be hungry, cold, sick, tired, and scared, but once you’ve bought your way out of these burdens, the rest of your money is an increasingly useless pile of paper.”
If this is true, why are so many people out there busting their humps for more?
For some, it is the pursuit of financial independence, a worthy goal. But for others, the answer lies in their increasingly materialistic ways.
We all must consume to survive, of course. But when consumerism becomes an end in itself, when it overruns more important ideals, provides the measure of our success, or corrodes our capacity to know truth, see beauty, or feel love, our lives are diminished.
Some will argue that for economies to flourish, we need rampant consumerism. It is consumers’ insatiable hunger for more stuff that fuels the economic engine.
In many ways, this is true. In fact, the notion itself is hardly new. In 1759, Adam Smith wrote in The Theory of Moral Sentiments:
“The pleasures of wealth and greatness… strike the imagination as something grand and beautiful and noble, of which the attainment is well worth all the toil and anxiety which we are so apt to bestow upon it. … It is this deception which rouses and keeps in continual motion the industry of mankind.”
Notice that Smith, the father of the concept of free markets, referred to the endless pursuit of more as “this deception.” He recognized that the needs of a vibrant economy and the requirements for us to be happy as individuals are not the same.
Studies show that the riches and material goods we desire – should we have the good fortune to acquire them – won’t necessarily make us happier. Yet we often imagine they will, even when experience teaches us otherwise.
Walk into your local auto dealership, for example, and check out the cars in the showroom. They look sharp. They smell good. The tires have been blackened. The exteriors have been waxed and polished and Windexed until they gleam. In short, we are seduced by their newness.
And even though we know that a new automobile is perhaps the world’s fastest-depreciating asset – and within weeks we will be mindlessly traveling from point A to point B without a second thought about our vehicle’s make or model – we plunk for one.
As my grandmother used to say, “Most people can’t tell the difference between what they want and what they need.” (This remark, incidentally, was generally directed toward me and my latest two-dollar object of fascination at F.W. Woolworth.)
Look around today and you’ll have no problem finding folks with plenty of neat things: big cars, fancy boats, the latest electronic gadgets, and all sorts of expensive “bling.” They seem to have it all. What you may not realize is how many of them are two payments from the edge.
Yet some middle-class Americans remain obsessed with what they don’t have. To some, it just doesn’t seem right – doesn’t seem fair – that others have so much more than they do. But as political satirist P.J. O’Rourke observed:
“I have a 10-year-old at home, and she is always saying, ‘That’s not fair.’ When she says that, I say, ‘Honey, you’re cute; that’s not fair. Your family is pretty well off; that’s not fair. You were born in America; that’s not fair. Honey, you had better pray to God that things don’t start getting fair for you.’”
[Ed. Note: If you're sick of thinking about "more money, more stuff" - or if you want to know what, besides wealth, there is to life - pick up a copy of bestselling author Alex Green's latest book, The Secret of Shelter Island: Money and What Matters. Described by Michael Masterson as "shockingly good," this book will help you explore money, meaning, and the pursuit of a good life. Get your copy here.]
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The 3 Basics You Need to Start an E-mail Newsletter
By David Cross
An e-mail newsletter is one of the best ways to make almost any business at least twice as valuable, to generate substantial cash flow, and to double or triple profits. It’s also the perfect way to turn an interest or hobby into a moneymaking venture.
And starting one is much easier than you might think. You really need only three things (and the ability to be a good writer is not one of them):
1. Something to Write About
The Internet is full of thousands of people who are interested in the same things you are. So when you’re looking for a topic for your e-newsletter, think about your own interests, your own hobbies, and your own areas of expertise. This has two benefits. First, you’ll be able to write about your topic with endless enthusiasm. Second, you’ll be able to write articles that are useful, informative, and based on your own real-life experience.
2. An Audience
There are 1.6 billion Internet users out there, according to Internetworldstats.com. Among them is your audience. The best way to find these folks is through search engine marketing.
First, set up a small “landing page” that explains the benefits of reading your newsletter. Include a sign-up form that allows you to “capture” names and e-mail addresses.
Next, set up a pay-per-click (PPC) ad campaign with some of the major search engines. When people search for the keywords you’ve purchased, they’ll have a chance to see your ad. Once they click on your ad, they’ll be routed to the landing page you set up earlier.
You can also include a small ad for your e-newsletter on the back of your business card, on your voicemail message, and at the bottom of your e-mails. And tell other enthusiasts about your e-newsletter and ask them to share it with their friends.
3. A Way to Get the Message Out
To send out your e-newsletter, use an e-mail service provider like Get Response, AWeber, or 1Shoppingcart. That should set you back less than $30 a month. Your service provider will allow you to add subscribers automatically, create newsletters with pre-designed templates, and determine which subscribers open your e-mails and click on your links (so you can track those who are most responsive to your offers).
Once you’re up and running, you’re ready to start using your e-newsletter to generate income. I’ll tell you how to do that in my next article…
[Ed. Note: David Cross - Senior Internet Consultant to Agora Inc. - and a handful of other Internet marketing experts have just revealed a powerful "blueprint" that's responsible for generating $275 million a year in Internet revenues. Right now, you can not only get your hands on this blueprint to creating lasting wealth... you can get expert, step-by-step instruction in how to make it work for YOU. Act before 5:00 p.m. TOMORROW, and you could get a whopping 80% discount on this incredible guide to Internet riches. Learn more here.]
Are You Suffering from ICLMB Syndrome?
By Yanik Silver
Too many entrepreneurs and business owners seem to believe that they cannot leave their office – even for a few days of fun in the sun – without things getting off track. I call this “I Can’t Leave My Business” syndrome.
If that’s the way you feel, you either have some serious micro-managing issues that need to be worked on… or you need to remember why you went into business for yourself.
You might think you’re indispensable, but everyone (including you) is replaceable. If employees are left to fend for themselves without the “big boss” insisting on approving everything, most things would still get done. Maybe not quite the way you would do it, but the end result would be close enough… and you’d have the freedom to enjoy your life.
In fact, I think freedom is the operative keyword for entrepreneurs. (That is why you struck out on your own, right?) And unless we exercise that freedom by stepping away from the office from time to time, it slowly collapses – and we become nothing more than highly paid servants to our businesses.
[Ed. Note: Starting your own Internet business is the epitome of freedom. You'll have the freedom to concentrate on your passion... the freedom to set your own hours... the freedom to work from anywhere in the world. Best of all, you could finally have freedom from financial worries. Get started building your own Internet business with help from ETR's experts. They'll show you how to set up a website, create products, make sales, and much more. Act by 5:00 p.m. Saturday and you could get 80% off this powerful program - plus a $2,000 bonus. Get the details now.
For more about how much freedom you can have with an Internet business, check out master Internet marketer Yanik Silver's website www.MaverickBusinessInsider.com. He breaks new ground in online marketing every day... and still finds the time to "get away from it all."]
Dear ETR: “What is a good pre-workout snack?”
“I greatly appreciate Kelley Herring’s articles in ETR and Total Health Breakthroughs – and her great recipes. (Many are standard fare on my weekly menus.)
“Kelley’s article regarding post-workout fueling was another good reminder of a ‘don’t’ for people working to get fit. My question: What is a good pre-workout ’snack’? I get up early in the morning to work out, and having to eat something immediately before that will likely give me a side ache or stomach ache. What is the best approach? Eating too little leaves me feeling lightheaded and limp. Eating too much and ugh!”
Audry Morell
Pompano Beach, FL
Hello Audry,
Thank you for the compliments – and for a great question!
Eating a little something before exercise is a great way to maximize your workout. It boosts performance and improves stamina, helps prevent low blood sugar (which saps energy and can cause lightheadedness), and fuels muscle and liver carbohydrate stores to provide lasting energy for the duration of your workout.
But if you don’t get the balance right, you’ll wind up feeling full – not fueled for your workout – as you found out.
The type of snack you should have depends on several factors: your metabolism and digestive system, as well as the type of exercise you’ll be doing. Because everyone’s metabolism and digestive system is unique, listen to your body to find your own balance and timing. You may also find it helpful to keep a journal of your snacks, workouts, and how you feel.
Meanwhile, here are some guidelines:
1. Blood flow to your belly for digestion means less to your muscles for fuel. It can also mean that you’ll feel bloated during your workout. Yuck! Aim to have a solid meal or snack 45-90 minutes before your workout. And allow more digestion time before intense exercise (like circuit training) as opposed to lower-intensity exercise (like Pilates).
2. If you have difficulty with digestion, go with a liquid snack instead of something solid. Liquids take less time to digest, and so can be enjoyed 30 minutes before your workout.
3. While sugary snacks will give you a quick boost, you will experience a drop in energy when your blood sugar levels stabilize. Don’t rely on too much fruit, and stay away from quick-converting sugars in general – especially before your workout.
4. Eating carb-heavy foods before a workout can interfere with performance and cause stomach discomfort – mainly because the body is still working to digest the carbs.
5. Opt for slow-burning low-glycemic carbs. A study published in the May 2009 issue of the Journal of Nutrition found that women who ate low-glycemic carbs before a workout burned 50 percent more fat during the workout. Wow!
If you want to learn all about the metabolic power ingredients that stimulate fat burning – and tasty ways to combine them to create a tummy-trimming pre-workout snack – check out pages 19 to 22 of “Your Guide to Living a Low-Glycemic Lifestyle.” It’s part of my new series, Your Plate, Your Fate. You can pick up a copy right here.
- Kelley Herring
It’s Good to Know: The New Generation of ATM Skimmers
Skimmers are small electronic devices that identity thieves attach to ATMs, gas pump card readers, and other places where you swipe credit or debit cards. They are used to steal card numbers, expiration dates, and PINs. And now criminals in Eastern Europe have come up with a new twist: a software skimmer that is inserted in the operating code (usually Windows-based) of the ATM’s computer. The program allows them to access all the personal data for all the cards used in the machine.
Security experts predict that the new skimmers could make an appearance in the U.S. soon.
(Source: Scientific American)
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Word to the Wise: Occiput
The “occiput” (AHK-sih-put) – from the Latin for “against the head” – is the back part of the skull.
Example (as used by Alan Falk in Michigan Lawyers Weekly): “So let me suggest that everyone put away their pitchforks and firebrands and stop trying to ‘bury the hatchet’ by planting it in the other fellow’s occiput.”
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