[One Thousand Characters a Day] Professor Kim Kyung-il's 'Wisdom to Fully Enjoy Happiness'

Editor's NoteHumans are social animals. It is difficult to feel happiness if any aspect of our environment?relationships, work, love, money?is not fulfilled. Yet ironically, no one lives a life perfectly meeting all these conditions. Ultimately, the conditions for happiness are determined by our mindset. This week's 'One Day, One Thousand Characters' newsletter introduces a transcription content from Professor Kim Kyung-il of Ajou University (Department of Psychology) and his book The Wisdom of the Mind. Professor Kim, a leading cognitive psychologist in Korea, categorizes the various worries and anxieties we face in life into seven keywords: people, happiness, work, love, money, success, and death. With his unique humor and the delicacy of a psychologist, he offers warm yet sophisticated empathy and advice. As he says, "Even at this very moment when we are struggling to live, happiness is steadily accumulating," the comfort and hope conveyed by this book will grow into strong life muscles that support our daily lives throughout the long journey ahead. Word count: 954 characters.

I once asked professional baseball managers,

"Which player do you consider the ace?"

The answers were generally similar. Regardless of rain or snow, whether in good or bad condition, the player who stubbornly takes the mound when it’s their turn and consistently throws steady pitches. They wanted to name those players as the best.

"What kind of employee is a good employee?"

I asked similar questions to CEOs of companies. The responses were alike. Regardless of rain or snow, whether in good or bad condition, the employee who stubbornly comes to work and does their job no matter what trials the organization faces. That persistence and diligence became their greatest strength.

Stubbornly. At some point, this word became an expression of respect and gratitude to me. Parents stubbornly give love whether their child is cute, sick, or lacking; teachers stubbornly teach the right path. Store owners stubbornly open their shops at the set time, bus drivers stubbornly arrive on time, soldiers stubbornly go to training grounds, and conductors stubbornly hold their batons.

It is amazing that our smooth daily lives are made possible every day thanks to someone stubbornly getting things done. The human mind changes like the weather, and harsh trials come like sudden showers almost daily. Yet, where does this tremendous energy to stubbornly do what we must come from? It is not a great fortune like winning the lottery or a Nobel Prize. Scholars are convinced that strong muscles come from small happinesses that are slightly booked every day.

Even when hope is overturned, failure is expected, and there are times we want to throw everything away again and again, faint bars are engraved in the ledger of our minds. Minor meals, small chats, seemingly meaningless but mood-lifting playfulness, even the act of stepping on the same path every day?all intertwine like tough tendons to build strong muscles.

- Kim Kyung-il, The Wisdom of the Mind, Forest Books, 18,800 KRW