Derek Sivers
from the book “Hell Yeah or No”:

What do you hate not doing?

2009-08-29

When we wonder what’s worth doing, we ask ourselves, “What do I really love?” or “What makes me happy?”

That question never really goes well, does it?

Maybe it’s because there’s a long list of things that make us happy, and we need to narrow it down further. Or maybe because the things with the deepest rewards don’t always provide shallow pleasures along the way.

So try this question instead:

What do you hate not doing?

What makes you feel depressed, annoyed, or like your life has gone astray if you don’t do it enough?

Answers to this double-negative question seem to be better indicators of what’s really worth doing.