Matt and Jay discuss the counter-intuitive theory that we enjoy life more when we choose to experience less overall pleasure. Also on today’s pod: Our favorite shows to binge watch, some very depressing statistics, 10 ways to be happier by reducing pleasure, the impressive work ethic of serial killers – and a lot more! Listen to this episode in your favorite podcast player: iTunes, Google, Spotify, Stitcher For faster access, tell your mobile assistant or smart speaker “Play ‘The Superior Men Podcast’!“ Make sure to watch for our NEW 30-minute book review show “The Superior Men Bookcast” coming June 11! Episode 23 Notes 2:45 – Happiness = Jet skis? 4:45 – How many people do family dinners every night? 6:30 – Kids want constant stimulation – but in the 21st century it’s very different 9:00 – The average person consumes 11 hours of media per day (Nielsen) / Teen depression statistics on the rise for the last 80 years / 26 million Americans with severe depression in 2016 / 20 million with a substance abuse problem 12:00 – Hyper-stimulating our emotions 14:00 – Game of Thrones, Maury Povich and being grateful for someone else’s misery 17:30 – Why Facebook reduces happiness 21:00 – How are YOU framing YOUR reality? 22:00 – 2018 study by health insurer Cigna: 40% of Americans say they “lack companionship,” their “relationships aren’t meaningful,” and that they feel “isolated from others.” 23:00 – How to break this cycle? Jordan Peterson says: “Compare yourself to who you were yesterday not to who someone else is today.” 27:30 – Even evil bastards still have to work their asses off to accomplish big things 30:00 – What media are you absorbing? Is it helping you – or hurting you? 31:30 – 10 Steps to Reducing Pleasure and Increasing Happiness 32:00 – Step 1. Start Noticing What You’re Doing 35:30 – Step 2. Appreciate the Little Things / Start a Gratitude List 37:30 – The value of savoring really good beer 40:30 – 6 Habits to improve every day: Jay recommends Hal Elrod’s excellent book The Miracle Morning. 42:30 – UC Berkeley Gratitude List study: Research showed making a gratitude list had significant psychological benefits for counseling patients. Even better? Those benefits lasted for months afterwards. 43:00 – Step 3. Reduce Multiple Good Experiences Into Singular, Excellent Experiences 49:00 – Step 4. Meditate / Actual meditation or doing high-focus activities (motorcycles / skydiving / lifting heavy weights) 51:30 – Old people being grateful even if they’re doing nothing 53:00 – Darth Maul vs Jedi – The Power of meditation and silence in the middle of chaos 55:30 – Step 5. Start Fixing Your Problems / A powerful book to help: Athol Kay’s The Mindful Attraction Plan 58:00 – Step 6. Make Progress On Your Projects Every Day / Dr. Phil’s one simple thing everyone needs to do improve their lives: “If you want to start having a better life, finish what you start.” 1:03:00 – Steps 7 & 8. Make It a Habit To Do the Uncomfortable Things / Start with Making the Bed and a Cold Shower 1:10:00 – Step 9. Accept What Is Happening Right Now / Regardless of good or bad 1:12:00 – If it’s a fun experience, it’s great; If it’s a horrible experience, it will be a great story 1:15:00 – Step 10. Find Pleasure Where You Are / Start looking for what’s interesting, curious or valuable around you everywhere you go 1:18:30 – Gary Vaynerchuk: “Way too many people in this room are going to spend the next 30, 40 years of their lives trying to check the boxes of the things that they’re not as good at, and because of that, you’re going to waste a lot of time. I highly recommend for all you hustlers, that you go all in