Wild Problems: A Guide to the Decisions That Define Us

Belonging is a central part of the appeal of religion and politics—the feeling that you are part of something larger than yourself, something that you believe in as an obligation or that you believe will make the world a better place.

Taking advantage of optionality means saying yes to things that are not obviously worth doing but have the chance to expand your horizons, your experiences, your connections. And by doing so you will learn not just about opportunities but about yourself—what you like and what you find meaningful.

Those choices define who we are and give our lives meaning when they work out well. Even the challenge of facing them when they don’t work out well is part of living as a human being.

We want to matter.

Wild problems that don’t turn out well aren’t mistakes. They’re more like adventures. Adventures have twists and turns and ups and downs. Belichick teaches us that if you can go on an adventure that you can end without great cost, go. If it turns out badly, cut it short. If it turns out well, enjoy the ride. This beats trying to figure out in advan

You have a child because it makes your entire life richer even if it makes your bank account poorer.

How might I experience the trip if I try to find an itinerary that emerges from our shared vision and not just what makes me the happiest?

At its best, what meditation or therapy or religion can do is to allow a pause before the response.

But for many who voted “leave” and for many who voted “stay,” the issue that mattered most wasn’t the question of the narrow utilitarian issues revolving around their standard of living.

Living like an artist means being open to discovery about the world and about yourself.