QOTD: Dan Ariely on Barriers to Happiness

"Is there anything you find yourself doing repeatedly that gets in the way of your happiness?"

I have a hard time saying no to all kinds if opportunities that come my way. People call me, ask me to help on projects or give a lecture, and otherwise request my time, and I too often agree when I shouldn’t. I think that my tendency to say yes is the outcome of two factors: The first is that from time to time I agree to doing things that I should not, and they turn out very interesting and exciting. I remember these times when deciding whether to take on each new opportunity, and think about how I might regret missing out. The second is that it is hard for me to think about the opportunity cost of time – what I would give up to take on these new opportunities.