We live 99% of our lives in normalcy, anonymity, routine.

That is a fact to accept, and despite what most stories teach us, there’s nothing bad with that. Indeed, even the heroes of those stories, the ones that are human at least, do not escape this general rule: it’s just that we do not see them cooking their food or doing grocery shopping; there’s no camera following them in the car every day as they commute; there’s no audio capturing them singing out of tone, nor discussing with their partner about whether to go to the theater or to the restaurant.

The way we live normalcy, anonymity and routine sets the stage for our levels of joy and satisfaction. The more we try to fight the former, the less we’ll have of the latter. The more we seek an escape, the less we’ll notice how the journey is like. The more we long for something that is not here and now, the less we’ll realize what here and now has to offer.

Sure, there’s still a 1%. And to be able to spot it and cherish it when it comes, it is vital we first learn how to be comfortable with and focused on the dominant 99%.