Dennis Prager argues that short-term fun and long-term happiness are different things. His rule: make meaningful activities like work and parenting as fun as possible, rather than chasing fun for its own sake.
Short-term fun and long-term happiness are rarely the same. I am, however, pro-fun if you understand that. Let me tell you my rule on fun: make the things that bring you happiness as much fun as possible. So that, have as much fun at work as possible. Fun for fun's sake does not bring nearly as much happiness as fun attached to what is meaningful. So if you have to parent, and you should, if you have to go to a job, and you should, make it as much fun, attach as much fun to what is difficult as possible. Fun as an end in itself doesn't work much.
Life, Legacy, and a Dangerous Mission in the Soviet Union | Sunday Fireside Chat
