I’m not a fast reader. It typically takes me up to two years to finish a book and so, I prefer articles. This year, I decided to do more reading, as I discovered it was one of my happiness triggers. It’s also a major source of wisdom.

Kindle’s reading insights say I now read every week. What changed? I came across an interesting book by Gordon MacDonald called, Ordering Your Private World. It changed how I prioritize things.

According to the book, one of the greatest limitations to fulfillment and achievement, is a lack of discipline. But discipline in this context, isn’t about failing to complete daily tasks. Rather, were you to list the things that are most important to you; the things that are at your core, discipline is how many of those things you focus on each day.

Because humans have limited time on earth, the most undisciplined people are those who keep chasing tasks and activities to the detriment of what’s critical.

Nowadays, I have a list of happiness triggers that I call: One song, one chapter, one conversation, one episode and one mindful moment. (I wrote about them here.)

My happiness triggers encompass creativity, relationships and peace. It is from those things that I derive wisdom, direction and fuel to accomplish everything else, including work. So, I must now prioritize them.

My happiness triggers encompass creativity, relationships and peace. It is from those things that I derive the fuel to accomplish everything else. Click To Tweet