The Happiness of Pursuit: Finding the Quest That Will Bring Purpose to Your Life

Discontent is the first necessity of progress. —THOMAS A. EDISON

NOT EVERYONE NEEDS TO BELIEVE IN YOUR DREAM, BUT YOU DO.

It’s better to be at the bottom of the ladder you want to climb than the top of one you don’t.

The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure.

A good plan allows for plenty of spontaneity and room for change - but without a plan at all, it's difficult to work toward something significant over time.

Your comfort zone may be more like a cage you can’t escape from than a safe place you can retreat to.

Everyone dies but not everyone truly lives.

So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future.

Always revisit my decisions in the light of new knowledge and information. Don't be afraid to change.

I might fail, but I'd never forgive myself if I didn't try.

The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.” So, too, for a quest. The most important thing is continuing to make progress.

Do one thing every day that scares you. —ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

Understanding exactly what you need to do and then finding a way to do it, makes a quest much more feasible

The outside world judges our actions based almost entirely on results–even though the results aren’t always up to us.

If you want to make every day an adventure, all you have to do is prioritize adventure. It has to become more important than routine.

To truly live without regrets, pay attention. Ask yourself hard questions and see where they lead. Do I really want this job? Is this relationship right for me? If I could do anything, would it be what I’m doing today … or something different?

Everyone is busy, yet we all have access to the same amount of time.

If you've ever felt a strange sense of sadness or alienation, there's a potential way out of the confusion- just shift this feeling into a sense of purpose. It's not about happiness, although happiness often results from doing something you love. Instead, it's about challenge and fulfillment, finding the perfect combination of striving and achievement that comes from reaching a big goal.

The long, slow grind of working toward something is all about loving the process. If you don’t love the process, the grind is tough.

Jump in with both feet. Stop making excuses.

If you’re not ready to run 250 marathons in a year, you can still pursue a quest.

There’s an obsession factor with many quests. When you wake up at night consumed by your idea, that’s when you’ve found a quest.

shows that we enjoy planning a vacation as much as taking the vacation. Anticipation is a powerful force.

Don't try to explain everything, but do tell a few good stories.

Regret is what you should fear the most. If something is going to keep you awake at night, let it be the fear of not following your dream. Be afraid of settling.

If you want to achieve the unimaginable, you start by imagining it.

Don’t just do something “fun.” Find a way to create structure around a project and build in a timeline.

We tend to judge risk based on outcome—but the outcome isn’t always up to us.   Life itself is risky. Choose your own risk level.

ultimately assessments of a quest’s worthiness depend on the result. Sometimes life itself is risky. There are few goals worth pursuing that are totally risk free.

You can’t achieve anything deeply satisfying without a drawn-out process leading up to it—and yet process demands a goal. You can’t love one without at least appreciating the other.