Toward the end of his 2006 essay Things You Really Need to Learn Stephen Downes tells us:
Another aspect of this is the following: what you are doing right now is the thing that you most want to do. Now you may be thinking, "No way! I'd rather be on Malibu Beach!" But if you really wanted to be on Malibu Beach, you'd be there. The reason you are not is because you have chosen other priorities in your life - to your family, to your job, to your country.Which suggests that when I read through the ever expanding list of not-to-be-attended events what I'm really doing is reminding myself of the priorities that I've chosen.