The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing is to be taken too seriously.
Nicholas Murray Butler
Why importance matters: it is common to ignore the importance of some things and give an exaggerated importance to others, and yet a little fish bone can suddenly become a matter of life and death. Narrowing the gap between what we considered important and unimportant can help us avoid many mistakes, lead more balanced life and find a wider range of objects, persons and situations interesting or enjoyable.
How to decrease importance of something:
· Don’t get hooked: consider the importance of your desire itself (e.g. the importance of a new pair of shoes can be re-evaluated if you examine why you really want them).
· Change the larger (time or space) perspective: for example, think about the whole humankind or ask yourself ‘Will this really matter tomorrow, or next year?’
· Humour can also help against taking things too seriously.
How to increase importance
· The more you invest in something (e.g. your time, thoughts, emotions, effort, money and so on) the more important it will become for you.
· Imagine that something is not there any more (e.g. your job is gone, you split up with your partner, you lose your health).