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Precious vs Trivial Filter
A decision filter that categorizes experiences by their true value to your wellbeing and happiness
Decision Rule
Before reacting emotionally, ask: 'Am I about to trade something precious (my peace, happiness, energy) for something trivial (minor inconvenience, ego slight)?'
How It Works
Creates pause between trigger and response, allowing rational evaluation of whether the reaction cost exceeds the situation's importance
Failure Modes
Using it to avoid all negative emotions including legitimate ones
Becoming callous to others' genuine concerns
Over-intellectualizing emotional responses
Example Decision
“Traffic jam makes you late. Instead of trading inner peace for anger over uncontrollable situation, maintain calm state and use time for reflection or planning”
Related Knowledge
Meaning is assigned, not inherent
You have power over your experience through conscious meaning-making rather than being victim of circumstances
External wealth cannot create internal fulfillment
Happiness is a skill to be developed internally rather than achieved through external acquisition
The Happiness Triangle
A three-component system for achieving sustained happiness by controlling focus, state, and story interpretation
Train selective attention on valuable versus trivial matters
Maintaining emotional equilibrium when facing minor setbacks, automatic filtering of trivial from important
Develop conscious control over emotional state entering situations
Choosing your emotional state before important situations, responding rather than reacting to events
Reaction vs Response Distinction
A cognitive model distinguishing between automatic emotional reactions and conscious, chosen responses to events