We don’t choose our Big Scary Goals; they choose us. And the psychic load of not pursuing your Big Scary Goal is harder than the work of pursuing it.

But maybe happiness has much more to do with daily choices than with nature. That may be more helpful than thinking we have a “natural” happiness blend — a loaded gun we have to carry gingerly to avoid shooting our toes off.

What surprises me is how much the Texas of Lyndon Johnson’s youth and young adulthood reminds me of the kids of Uganda.

When we succeed, we get rewards, both extrinsic and intrinsic. The more we succeed, the more opportunities come our way. The more opportunities, the more fast-paced, high-stakes challenges. We run, we fight, we succeed, we get rewarded. And the cycle begins again.

This got me wondering: Is sending Christmas cards good for your mental health?