How to Want Less

I found that it is possible to turn around my dopamine triggers, away from consumerism. For instance, I use my bike to get food for my family at a local farmers store, 5 km away, once a week. I think of it as going on a hunt - your family needs food, and you can only get it through biking the 80 kg of food that is needed, even when it is raining, snowing, or you are exhausted and really feeling not good. No excuses.

And suddenly, after a while, every time I return from "the hunt", I feel like I accomplished something. I also value the items I carried with my own muscles higher - when I drink a beer, I _feel_ the effort connected to getting it, and I enjoy it more. Going with the car, vice versa, feels like I did not succeed.

I observed that similar tricks work in other contexts for my reward center - e.g. taking the train, instead of flying to a meeting. Or, buying used stuff or repurposing old stuff, instead of getting new stuff. Or, putting effort into getting something _not_ from Amazon, but maybe a local store nearby. You name it. I still use my old bike, which is now 24 years old. If I pass someone on his new race bike, it feels much better than the other way around (passing someone with a brand new car, bike etc.). Suddenly, I don't _want_ a new bike anymore, I feel satisfaction when continuing to use my old bike.

Reflecting on the article - you are in control of your motives and goals (the 'wants'), you do not need to let society or enterprises define those.

I remember the day, sometime mid-way through my career, that I was in a Canadian Tire (imagine a large hardware/sports/dept) store, looking around and not wanting anything. It was a very notable and strange feeling. In that moment I wanted to want something.

Today I still want to want things, as meaningful things are not so plentiful. My mistake is in not doing more things I enjoy, or taking up things that I would or could enjoy. I don't have to be strictly a workaholic, providing for family and/or making the world a better place. Don't get me wrong, my work is challenging and satisfying, but it's still work, not life.