The problem with the world

lies in the unchallenged perception that value should be sought after for the sake of value. You can substitute the world "value" with any other end-goal the world generally views as worth pursuing, like happiness, wisdom, good looks, peace of mind... But if you are really happy, do you really care about clinging
onto the image of yourself as a "happy person" (tm)? If you are really calm and content, do you enjoy thinking of yourself as a calm person, or do you enjoy the silence? What is a good looking person without an admirer? What are words of wisdom without anybody else to hear them?

The value is within everything you do and not in the fact that you do it. Likewise, when you fail, the only thing really lost is an opportunity to create something of value. There will be more. Lasting pain and suffering are unnecesary, but inevitable when one focuses on the fact that they didn't manage to do something and not on that something.

If everybody could grasp this concept we could eliminate egoistical pride - because somebody who's out there having fun or doing something well wouldn't need to think of themselves as better than everybody else - they'd just enjoy themselves. We'd also eliminate jealousy - it's never the actual qualities we pathologically envy in others, it's the fact that THEY HAVE THEM and WE DON'T. Finally, we would be able to let go of guilt and regret over past mistakes - it was only value that was lost. We can cry our hearts out (and sometimes we should) but, after some point, being disappointed in our own disappointment.. just .. doesn't make much sense.