Trying to figure out why people do anything is a bit of a Mandelbrot-esque Ouroboros headache—and no, I’m not entirely sure what that means either, but I like the imagery. For every usual answer, you’ll find some contradiction or simplification leading nowhere definitive. One helpful framework to guide you through that all-too-common existential nightmare is Buddha’s philosophy of reducing suffering, which encourages balancing unwholesome desires (tanha) with wholesome intentions (chanda). Whether you’re an extreme ascetic or an ego-crazed coke fiend, the fundamental goal remains the same: to alleviate personal suffering. After all, everyone’s trying to escape their own personal hell, though no one seems to agree on how to do it.

Since I’m getting into some deep water, let's switch gears. Now, I’ll explain how imagining your family dying in a car fire (and other hypothetical tragedies) may help you be more productive.