Our obsession with self-improvement is making us
miserable
https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/24091379/how-to-be-enough-habituation-hedonic-treadmill-comparison
Allie Volpe:
What allows us to strive for more is our ability to
constantly adapt. Known as the hedonic treadmill or hedonic adaptation, we have
an incredible capacity to acclimate to both positive and negative life events,
settling at a base level of satisfaction after objectively good and not-so-good
things happen. Hedonic adaptation is why buying a new car feels spectacular for
a few weeks and then gradually less so until we realize we need something else
to spark ecstasy again. Perhaps accidentally, a niche population of dopamine
fasters recognized the phenomena of hedonic adaptation and denied themselves
stimulating or enjoyable experiences as a means of staving off habituation for
more mundane experiences.
Another factor that fuels our wants and desires is
comparison. Not only do we compare ourselves to others, weighing our success
and happiness against theirs, but we can juxtapose our current circumstances
with what we could want in the future, says Rachit Dubey, a postdoctoral
research fellow at MIT Sloan School of Management.