Knowledge Marketplace
My First Million

My First Million

The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.

Back to Mental Models

Expensive Happiness Principle

Your emotional state should be premium-priced - it should take significant negative events to affect your mood, not trivial inconveniences

Decision Rule

Before allowing something to upset you, ask 'Is this expensive enough to warrant trading my good mood for it?'

How It Works

Most daily annoyances are 'cheap' - they cost little but we trade our valuable emotional state for them freely. Making happiness expensive protects your mental energy.

Failure Modes

Letting trivial events ruin your entire day

Trading precious mental energy for worthless drama

Allowing others to control your emotional state easily

Example Decision

Someone cuts you off in traffic. Instead of getting angry, you think 'That person's rudeness is too cheap - I'm not trading my good mood for something so worthless.'