Here's a deceptively simple principle with deep implications:

The seduction of life-change, whether in the form of self-help books, therapy, etc., is that they cater to the impulse "to fix what's wrong with me."

Martin Seligman, in Learned Optimism, shows that optimism is highly correlated with happiness. And then, he explains optimism as the following attitude:

• problems are local instead of pervasive
• problems are temporary instead of permanent

Maybe you just need to move out. Maybe you just need to switch majors. Maybe you need an anti-histamine for those allergies.

The last time you hit a snag, what did you try to fix? How large of an area did you try to fix?

The temptation is there to make some kind of complete life transformation. I believe that this is related to an ascetic impulse that is simply human nature.

Note, this post willfully contradicts my post on systemic flaws.

Further Reading: