EPICTETUS

There was a study in 2009 by the psychiatrists Friese and Hoffman on the topic. They discovered that people with little ability to self-regulate end up looking for “everything or nothing” relationships.

That is, their impulsiveness, their hunger to be “fed,” doesn’t accept excuses

When we obtain our desires, needs and wants, we quickly get accustomed to it, taking those shiny toys for granted, and easily getting bored with them. We mistakenly look for happiness in this hedonic adaptation, a thirst that never gets quenched.

Short bursts ...

People will always be happy when they see their children prosper when they feel loved, secure, and well-fed.

But, this formula for happiness is so obvious that most people dismiss it. They would rather look for a secret ingredient. The answer is that there is no secret.