279. Why Is My Life So Hard?

Most of us feel we face more headwinds and obstacles than everyone else — which breeds resentment. We also undervalue the tailwinds that help us — which leaves us ungrateful and unhappy. How can we avoid this trap?

Episode 279 of the Freakonomics Radio podcast, hosted by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher, titled "279. Why Is My Life So Hard?" was published on March 16, 2017 and runs 30 minutes.

March 16, 2017 ·30m · Freakonomics Radio

0:00 / 0:00

Summary

Most of us feel we face more headwinds and obstacles than everyone else — which breeds resentment. We also undervalue the tailwinds that help us — which leaves us ungrateful and unhappy. How can we avoid this trap?

Episode Description

Most of us feel we face more headwinds and obstacles than everyone else — which breeds resentment. We also undervalue the tailwinds that help us — which leaves us ungrateful and unhappy. How can we avoid this trap?

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

18. Robert Sapolsky: “I Don’t Think We Have Any Free Will Whatsoever.”

Apr 18, 2026 ·41m

17. Emily Oster: “I Am a Woman Who Is Prominently Discussing Vaginas.”

Apr 11, 2026 ·41m

16. Joshua Jay: “Humans Are So, So Easy to Fool.”

Apr 4, 2026 ·42m

67. Coca-Cola's Master's Tournament Sponsorship Triggers 2002 Boycott Threat, with Ben Deutsch and Dr. Martha Burk

Mar 31, 2026 ·33m

15. Tim Harford: “If You Can Make Sure You're Not An Idiot, You've Done Well.”

Mar 28, 2026 ·42m

13. Yul Kwon: “Don't Try to Change Yourself All at Once.” (UPDATE)

Mar 21, 2026 ·43m

Similar Podcasts

No Stupid Questions Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher Research psychologist Angela Duckworth (author of "Grit") and tech and sports executive Mike Maughan really like to ask people questions, and they believe there’s no such thing as a stupid one. So they have a podcast where they can ask each other as many “stupid questions” as they want. New episodes each week. "No Stupid Questions" is a production of the Freakonomics Radio Network.To get every show in the Freakonomics Radio Network without ads and a monthly bonus episode of Freakonomics Radio, start a free trial for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. People I (Mostly) Admire Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher Freakonomics co-author Steve Levitt tracks down other high achievers for surprising, revealing conversations about their lives and obsessions. Join Levitt as he goes through the most interesting midlife crisis you’ve ever heard — and learn how a renegade sheriff is transforming Chicago's jail, how a biologist is finding the secrets of evolution in the Arctic tundra, and how a trivia champion memorized 160,000 flashcards.To get every show in the Freakonomics Radio Network without ads and a monthly bonus episode of Freakonomics Radio, start a free trial for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Footy for Two Solomon Dubner & Stephen J. Dubner Seventeen-year-old soccer nut Solomon Dubner tries to educate his father Stephen (host of Freakonomics Radio) — and the rest of the world — about futbol. Tell Me Something I Don't Know Stephen J. Dubner and Stitcher Journalism wrapped in a game-show package. Host Stephen J. Dubner (of “Freakonomics Radio”) and a celebrity co-host invite guests on stage in front of a live audience to tell us something we don’t know. The co-hosts — a mix of leaders in science, academia, sports, media, and comedy — grill the guests, and by the end we’ve all gotten a bit smarter. Each episode has a new topic, a new co-host, and new guests. There’s also a real-time human fact-checker to keep everyone honest. Think of the most crackling dinner-party conversation you’ve ever heard. Produced in association with Stitcher.

URL copied to clipboard!