Motivation comes from loved ones and relationships
"Relationships make us happier. The legendary Grant Study at Harvard
Medical School has borne this out. The study—the largest longitudinal study
of human beings to date—began tracking 268 Harvard male sophomores
between 1938 and 1944. In an effort to determine what factors contribute
most strongly to “human flourishing,” the study followed these men for
seventy-five years, measuring an astonishing range of psychological,
anthropological, and physical traits—from personality type to IQ to drinking
habits to family relationships to “hanging length of his scrotum.”10 The study
found that the depth and meaningfulness of a person’s relationships is the
strongest indicator of level of happiness.Seventy-five years and $20 million in research funds, to arrive at a threeword
conclusion: “Happiness is love.” Love is a function of intimacy and the
depth and number of interactions we have with people. At its best, Facebook
both taps into our need for these relationships, and helps nourish them.
We’ve all felt it. There’s something satisfying in rediscovering someone you
knew twenty years ago, and keeping in touch with friends after they move
away. When friends post pics of their new baby, we get a delicious hit:
dopamine"
A section of the Book: The Four - The hidden DNA of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google, by Scott Galloway. A recommended read.
I came across this section today, and I think it, in hindsight, has been my biggest motivator, my relationships. So, I recommend to stay in touch with friends, reach out, say hi, and move forward together and not alone.
Relationships are like clothes, one has to pick the most appropriate outfit for each occasion.
HA! I never heard that one before.
I was always told, by my uncle:
"Relationships are like cheese, matured cheese is an acquired taste".
I just made it up... I had never heard about yours either. I guess that's why I don't eat camembert. In other words: don't bring your pussy cat to a dog fight.
Just me who would question the validity of the results based on privileged 'Harvard' men?
That was one of my first thoughts too. But then I thought, that Harvard men (presumably white and wealthy), are in my opinion least likely to prioritise Love and Relationships. And if you remove the "struggle" for financial freedom, then you can isolate which external or internal virtue that is most likely to result in happiness.
But, I think it is similar to the happiness index. A major reason for why Scandinavia is always ranked highest on that index, is because of the high living standard and security.