The good news is that just like pleasure can become pain with repeated use, we can also transform painful activities into pleasant ones with practice. Most of us don’t know this great truth because we are always trying to avoid the painful activities right from the very beginning. We never reach the other side of the pain that is pleasure. The pleasure that comes from enjoying activities, which were painful in the beginning, is indeed true joy.

Heaven and hell may be a figment of imagination and a myth for a non-believer but they are quite effective in keeping people on the right track. Most people know how to avoid punishment in this world by circumventing the law and manipulating the system. However, they still fear God because they can’t manipulate Him. They wish to ensure their place in Heaven and avoid hell.

Those who believe in the principles of Karma would continue to be law-abiding in every situation, as they know that they can’t escape the laws of Karma. They avoid evil deeds because even if they can avoid punishment in this life—they are sure to suffer for their evil acts in future lives.

While setting your goal keeps you focused, search for meaning keeps the world in focus. You can’t avoid your responsibilities for personal convenience and set to lead a life that is full of indifference to the world.

There are millions of people in the modern world who have earned enough money to be able to live their lives comfortably without doing anything for a living. 228 | 31 Ways to Happiness Conquer Your Boredom | 229 However, most of them fail to live happily because they get bored if they do nothing. Many people don’t work for the sake of money. They work to avoid boredom.