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RT Wolf · 12-17-2006, 12:41 AM

Our brain craves goals because evolution built us that way. To acquire things and to go towards goals is one of those things that made a lot of sense to ancesteral humans.

In a larger context, though, your goals are (supposedly) dictated by your purpose. Suppose you had the goal of becoming a millionaire. What if you just wnated to for your own reasons. On the other hand, what if someone said that if you didn't they would kill you, or someone you loved. Your motivation and purpose is a lot more important.

Another thing to realize is that happiness can come only from within you. They did a study of people who had experienced large events both positive (winning the lottery) and negative (getting into car accident and losing the use of limbs, etc). Immediately afterwards, they felt the extremes of the emotions (happiness and dispair). However, over time, they returned to previous levels of happiness. Our brains are also built to be hopeful and optimistic (read Mean Genes for a good account of all this), because that is also evolutionarily beneficial.

Edit: That example of milliion dollars and gun is likely hte worst example I have ever, ever given, but I can't think of anything better.

12-17-2006, 12:41 AM	#2 (permalink)
RT Wolf Family Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Toronto, Canuckland Posts: 1,737	Our brain craves goals because evolution built us that way. To acquire things and to go towards goals is one of those things that made a lot of sense to ancesteral humans. In a larger context, though, your goals are (supposedly) dictated by your purpose. Suppose you had the goal of becoming a millionaire. What if you just wnated to for your own reasons. On the other hand, what if someone said that if you didn't they would kill you, or someone you loved. Your motivation and purpose is a lot more important. Another thing to realize is that happiness can come only from within you. They did a study of people who had experienced large events both positive (winning the lottery) and negative (getting into car accident and losing the use of limbs, etc). Immediately afterwards, they felt the extremes of the emotions (happiness and dispair). However, over time, they returned to previous levels of happiness. Our brains are also built to be hopeful and optimistic (read Mean Genes for a good account of all this), because that is also evolutionarily beneficial. Edit: That example of milliion dollars and gun is likely hte worst example I have ever, ever given, but I can't think of anything better. Last edited by RT Wolf; 12-17-2006 at 12:43 AM.