April 4 | Hidden Upsides

We’re all constantly aware of the hidden costs of things—the “too good” part of the phrase “too good to be true.” Fast food, video games, podcast binging, we all know that—while not bad by any means—they all come with price tags that aren’t immediately advertised.

Of course, we rarely look at the reverse: activities with hidden upsides. Seemingly innocuous elements of everyday and extraordinary actions that actually hold great benefit. 

You may find swimming especially meditative because it forces you to be away from your phone. Or enjoy cooking because you’ll see one single process through from start to finish. You might find a freelance job gives you new perspective on your main gig, or that learning a language gives you more empathy for people trying to learn new skills. 

In some more extreme cases, the hidden upside may outweigh the perceived benefits. Even the act of sitting down to read operates on the assumption your understanding of the world is inadequate, which likely outweighs the actual benefit of the new information you’ll receive. 

Even more indirectly—you may find that you like doing the right thing for yourself for the not-quite-as-right-as-it-could-be reason. Like brushing your teeth because you enjoy the minty flavor, even though you (more objectively) brush your teeth to avoid cavities. 

After all, what rational person doesn’t love an irrational reason to do something good?… Read the rest