Reference: The Happiness Rundown
16. BE INDUSTRIOUS
Work is not always pleasant.
But few are unhappier than those who lead a purposeless, idle and bored existence: children gloom to their mother when they have nothing to do; the low-mindedness of the unemployed, even when they are on “relief” or the “dole” is legendary; the retired man, with nothing further to accomplish in life, perishes from inactivity, as shown by statistics.
Even the tourist, lured by a travel agency’s call to leisure, gives a tour conductor a bad time if he has nothing for them to do.
Sorrow itself can be eased by simply getting busy at something.
Morale is boosted to high highs by accomplishment. In fact, it can be demonstrated that production is the basis of morale.
People who are not industrious dump the workload on those around them. They tend to burden one.
It is hard to get along with idle people. Aside from depressing one, they can also be a bit dangerous.
A workable answer is to persuade such to decide on some activity and get them busy with it. The most lasting benefit will be found to arise from work that leads to actual production.
The way to happiness is a high road when it includes industriousness that leads to tangible production.
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Exercise
0. Make sure you have completed the exercise section at Happiness: Precept 15. Study the precept above.
1. Check the responses to the following questions for false data (see false data steps at Happiness: Prologue).
(a) “Have you been told or taught not to be industrious?”
(b) “Do you have any rules or ideas contrary to being industrious?”
(c) “Have you been led to believe that you shouldn’t be industrious?”
(d) “Do you know of anything that conflicts with being industrious?”
(e) “Do you have any false data about being industrious?”
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2. Go over each of the following questions repetitively, until there are no more answers:
(a) “How have others transgressed against the precept: ‘Be industrious’?”
(b) “How have you transgressed against the precept: ‘Be industrious’?”
Do a quick review to see if you did not miss any answers on this step. You should be feeling good about this step.
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3. See if the following question definitely brings up some name you know of:
“Is there any specific person in your past who really transgressed against the precept: ‘Be industrious’?”
If no name comes up then go to step 4. if a name has come up, then continue with step 3 as follows:
“Can you recall an exact moment when you observed ___(name)___ transgressing this precept?”
If there is a realization, go to step 4. Otherwise, continue contemplating as follows, until there is some realization.
“Is there any time when you wanted to be like ___(name)___ ?”
“Is there any time when you decided that not being industrious was a good thing?”
“Did you ever do anything bad to ___(name)___ ? (Get all possible answers)
“Are there any differences between ___(name)___ and yourself?”
“Are there any similarities between ___(name)___ and yourself?”
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4. Handle any anomalies that come up on the following question by looking at the anomaly more closely.
”Do you have any reservations about being industrious?”
If the anomaly does not resolve then review the precept as well as all the exercise steps above to see if anything was missed. Then do step 4 again. When there is no anomaly go to step 5.
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5. Contemplate on the following question.
“Do you have any reservations about getting someone else to be industrious?”
If any reservation comes up, then consider the following:
“How would that be a problem?”
Get answers to this question until there are no reservations.
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