# What's the secret of life? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 16, 2014, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812 "2014-03-16T02:52:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812/41 "2014-03-16T21:46:44Z")
I don’t know if it’s a secret, but for me, it’s contentment. When I learned to be content with myself, others, and what I do, or do not, have, everything else pretty much fell into place. ---
**Author:** ![Vita\_Beata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@Vita\_Beata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vita_Beata)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812/42 "2014-03-16T22:37:42Z")
The secret of life is perseverance; you’ll never get out alive anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812/43 "2014-03-16T22:51:54Z")
I don’t understand the question… what does “secret of life” mean? Perhaps the OP is asking how a person should live their life to maximize the odds of being happy? ---
**Author:** ![X.L.Lent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a5b964/32.png) [@X.L.Lent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.L.Lent)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812/44 "2014-03-16T23:47:18Z")
42 ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812/45 "2014-03-17T01:53:05Z")
The secret to Life? Doesn’t matter what you do or how hard you try, you’re going to die one day. So enjoy the ride while you’re on it. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812/46 "2014-03-17T06:26:21Z")
If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812/47 "2014-03-17T08:18:42Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > If you ask me, I think the secret of life is to be happy and try to improve other people’s situations if they need help. > > I don’t always follow my own advice. But that seems like a good enough answer to me. That’s two different answers, but okay. It’s a common human fallicy to think there’s always one answer to any widely and erratic problem. My answer to most of life’s curveballs is to make sure to put yourself first. If you are a strong and confident person, you are able to adapt, change accordingly, help others, etc. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812/48 "2014-03-17T17:10:54Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > That’s two different answers, but okay. It’s a common human fallicy to think there’s always one answer to any widely and erratic problem. > > My answer to most of life’s curveballs is to make sure to put yourself first. If you are a strong and confident person, you are able to adapt, change accordingly, help others, etc. Right on… put your oxygen mask on before you can assist others. **Crafter\_Man** , I guess I just wanted to see what others would say. Especially the not-so-serious ones. If there where\* a secret to life\*, what do you think it would be? ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812/49 "2014-03-17T18:02:12Z")
Change what you can, accept what you must, ignore the rest, and cherish the good bits. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812/50 "2014-03-17T18:12:29Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Okay, smart guy, what’s the secret to being happy? Wanting what you have. ---
**Author:** ![Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Metal_Lotus)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812/51 "2014-03-17T21:43:31Z")
Enjoy the good stuff, work to make it keep happening for yourself and others, get through the bad stuff as quickly as possible, and leave it behind you. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812/52 "2014-03-17T21:46:12Z")
> [@X.L.Lent](#): > > 42 I was wondering how far into the thread I would read before that came up. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812/53 "2014-03-17T22:22:41Z")
I’ve had a pretty good life (good friends, decent jobs, retired solvent aged 55) and although there’s some good ideas in this thread by far the most important post for me was this one: > [@Octarine](#): > > Or you could listen to _Cohen_ the Barbarian: > “Hot water, good dentishtry and shoft lavatory paper.” ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812/54 "2014-03-18T04:13:52Z")
“I masturbate a lot.” _—Ernest Borgnine_ ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2014, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812/55 "2014-03-18T04:15:44Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > . . . exorcize more. Isn’t that a little harsh? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-secret-of-life/683812.md?page=2)