The Illusion of Forward Fueling Curiosity for a Well-Lived Life
Mark D. DonnellyWe're told life moves forward.
Work hard. Stay busy. Keep climbing. And somewhere out ahead-just beyond the next goal, the next promotion, the next season of life-happiness is waiting.
But more often than not... it isn't. At least not for long.
In The Illusion of Forward: Fueling Curiosity for a Well-Lived Life, Mark Donnelly, PhD, challenges one of modern life's quiet assumptions: that happiness, meaning, and fulfillment live just beyond the next achievement.
Drawing from psychology, behavioral science, creativity research, and decades of real-world observation, Donnelly offers a grounded alternative to the endless chase for more. This is not a book about reinvention. It's about learning to live more fully inside the life you already have.
Through humor, science, and practical wisdom, readers will learn how to:
- Break free from the exhausting cycle of "I'll be happy when..."
- Replace willpower with systems that actually work
- Turn guilt from emotional baggage into a catalyst for growth
- Shift from external validation to values-driven confidence
- Recover joy, wonder, and meaning in everyday life
- Build stronger relationships through curiosity and presence
- Protect personal energy and set healthier boundaries
A well-lived life doesn't begin when everything is finally under control.
It begins the moment you stop chasing what's ahead...
...and start getting curious about what's already here.
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Rock / Paper / Safety Scissors
Published: 05/12/2026
ISBN: 9781956688788
Pages: 152
Weight: 0.62lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.41d