How to hack happiness by following these 6 unconventional tricks to joy and creativity

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Back to the article…

With all the advice on how to be happy, why are so many people still unhappy?

Years of unlearning have taught me that opportunity exists in the path least travelled.

To find success, follow the crowd…

…And then do the opposite.

The same applies to happiness advice.

Here are some unconventional approaches to happiness and energy

1. Stop chasing happiness.

Chasing happiness does one thing better than anything else:

It emphasises the fact you aren’t happy yet. We’re unhappy because we made happiness conditional.

‘I’ll be happy when I get to $10k per month.’

‘I’ll be happy when I find a partner who loves me.’

Etc.

Don’t stop pursuing nice things. But don’t make your happiness dependent on a future external event.

Realise you have all the happiness you need right now, right where you are.

There is no alternative.

2. Master the art of not trying.

Life is uncertain and often makes it seem like we need to adopt clever strategies to ‘beat the uncertainty.’

For example, if we have to give a presentation at work, we’re worried about doing poorly. So we compensate for our ‘lack of preparedness’ by adopting various mindset tricks like ‘faking it till you make it,’ or ‘focus on the audience’ or ‘make eye contact to seem more dominant,’ or all three.

This is all about trying. Trying to be more effective. Trying to succeed. And it’s overwhelming.

Ironically, all of this thinking causes us more anxiety, affecting the quality of our presentation.

Prepare, yes. But when you step into the reality of life, work and creativity, let it all go.

Don’t try. Just find a way to relax and enjoy yourself.

Everything you need will be there for you in the form of insights from a deeper place.

3. Reconnect with your inner playful child.

Hacking the connection with your inner child is the new ‘growing up.’

As we become adults, we transition away from childhood and begin taking life more seriously. But joy and limitless creative exploration can be found through a more playful approach to life.

It’s not about becoming childish. It’s about tapping into the part of us that was obvious and effortless to us as children.

Take life lightly, in the spirit of play, no matter the situation, and you will experience default happiness.

4. Cultivate joyful incompetence.

Producing quality work is essential. Poor service is a problem.

I’m the first to encourage total pride in your work and output.

But most of us misinterpret this to mean striving for perfection. There is no such thing as perfect.

As such, when we try to be perfect and avoid making mistakes, we turn what should be a freeing and creative process into a self-destructive and high-pressure nightmare.

Be willing to explore the part of the process that allows you to do poorly.

Now you’re off the hook.

The pressure has gone, which will lead to your best work.

5. Harness the power of ‘Selective Apathy.’

Ever heard of a ‘F*ck it List?’

This is a list of all the things you - from now on - refuse to take seriously anymore.

We can add many things to this list that are currently making life seem more complicated than it needs to be.

Selective apathy is a healthy approach to life in which you choose to let go of those things that create stress that is not in your control.

Feel bad about someone trolling one of your online posts? Selective apathy. Time for strategic indifference.

You happily don’t give a f*ck.

It’s time to move on and keep creating.

6. Transmute anxiety into excitement.

Instead of sticking your fingers in your ears and blocking out anxiety until you’re blue in the face, how about performing mental jiu-jitsu on your fears and worries?

What if your anxiety was excitement?

This is absolutely true. It’s not theory. Why? Because every negative feeling you have is what you feel when you place negative judgement on energy running through your body. It’s all about perspective. How you think is how you feel. The two are interconnected.

The moment you realise your fears are excitements is the moment those fears fade.

Are you ready to be a happiness hacker?

. . .

And that’s it from me today.

If you enjoyed this, share a comment. 

Much love,

Alex

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