This book argues that people should only act on values they have power over and seek meaning through what they consider important. According to the book, ‘poor values’ are those that a person cannot control, like popularity.
Mark Manson also provides many examples of candid thoughts to try and live a better life. Learning how to understand and embrace the negative and taking responsibility for how to respond to everything that has happened to us.
The main qualities I discovered while reading this book were accountability, inconsistency, rejection, and failure. The inconsistency of this value will make you aware of your ignorance. Failure stood out to me the most because failure is a part of life, and everyone experiences it. Your character is revealed by what you do after failing, and you must be willing to admit your flaws.
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The paradox is that the more you focus on the positives, the more unpleasant feelings you’ll experience. Those who are frantic to feel wealthy, deserving, or happy will feel poorer, more undeserving, or sad in the end. On the other side, you’ll feel better the more you accept the drawbacks in your life. In fact, most of us are so bombarded with messages encouraging positivity that we frequently feel guilty for feeling unhappy. Manson also writes, “The key to a good life is not giving a f*ck about more; it’s giving a f*ck about less, giving a f*ck about only what is true and immediate and important.” This quotation stands out because it implies that materialism is unnecessary for life’s happiness. You must be motivated and seek deeper experiences.
