**Dan Harris’s mantra, that’s helpful to an extent, but unhealthy in extremes. **
This is a central question in 10% Happier. Author Dan Harris is a self proclaimed neurotic. He credited his neuroticism with a lot of his successes in life, but also with this unceasing dissatisfaction and unhappiness. How do you become Zen, without becoming useless, or a punching bag? Ultimately his conclusion is that there is some merit in the phrase, but you have to learn to draw the line when worry and insecurities are no longer actually helping. He credits the mantras “is this helpful?” along with “what’s most important”. This, ultimately, is about balance.