This article is an extract of chapter #1 in Karl Moore’s best-selling book, ‘The 18 Rules of Happiness.’

“Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in this world.” – Helen Keller

Oh, come on. Admit it.

We all do it every single day.

Everybody enjoys wallowing in a little self-pity. It feels great to remind ourselves how terrible the world is. How we’ve not been given the right opportunities. How people are against us. How life has been a real struggle this past year.

Right?

But here’s a true secret to happiness. And it’s probably the biggest, easiest and quickest happiness secret you’ll stumble across. Ever.

One of my favorite past times, as I traveled the world, was participating as a member of the Hash House Harriers Running Club. The premise often involved hundreds of runners (pack or hounds) looking for clues along the road to indicate the correct path, better known as  “True Trail” in order to get to the finish line.  The clues are left on sidewalks by designated runners, called “Rabbits”. As one might expect the lead rabbit would leave clues for the correct path, while two or three other rabbits would leave  misleading signs or “False Trails” enticing anyone willing to follow to a dead end. It was designed to keep the pack together.

Are you ready to get exactly what you want?  Like so many I’ve asked before you, I hear you emphatically responding, “Yes!” Great!  It’s yours!  But…what is it, exactly?  And if you actually got it, what price would you have to pay?

You don’t have to pay any price.  Your dreams are ready and waiting for you to bring them to life.  But shifting gears to focus on the creation of our dreams sometimes feels like a lot of work, and much of it not destined to produce results.  It often seems that if we would only work harder on the current realities before us, we would get what we want through sheer focus of will.

Heat radiating from a kitchen oven, the fragrance of cookie dough, of chopped walnuts and melting dark chocolate chips: thus begins many of my fondest childhood memories.

And it’s not only that chocolate is my greatest vice in life, perhaps even my greatest ‘sin.’ Figuratively. You know, I can romanticize a little. Some might even find the analogy appropriate, especially since I can gulp a pound at a time without an ounce of guilt.

And it doesn’t take me twelve hours to absorb a batch of cookies, even as I futilely attempt to make them last as long as possible. No, I’m not writing about confession, but artistry, the titillation of taste buds, memories and, above all else, you. (After all, who else would I expect to read this?)