"...but I am not going to lie to myself just to feel good...."
Interesting comment. It's ALL about feeling good. The difference is short term needs vs long term needs.
Those who think short term need to feel good NOW, and they feel that way most of the time, very much the mindset of the drug- addicts or the religious.
Then there are the long term thinkers. Those practical thinkers can postpone short term feel-good for long term joy (even if it's less), which they perceive to be the better investment of their emotions and tone.
Both are just emotional survival strategies. But devils advocate requires the truth, which is that postponement of superficial happiness for the benefit of long term joy, requiring more emotional discipline, is more sustainable.
Imo