Imagine a version of Mario with zero obstacles.
No pits to fall into, no bad guys to avoid, no time limit. No risk whatsoever.
You can move left or right, you can jump, and you can collect coins. Take as long as you need.
The world’s most boring video game.
So why do we get worked up when we encounter a challenge in our everyday lives? Why do we still act surprised when life doesn’t go 100% according to plan, when it never has?
It is the unrealistic expectation that the challenge will not occur, and the feeling of injustice when it does occur, that causes suffering.
It is not the challenge itself.
We fantasize about the no-risk version of Mario, but we would never buy that video game.
The Daily Nugget 