Working out at the gym got a lot easier the day I realized the sweat served a higher purpose. I’m 43, and have three kids under 8 years old, so if I want to be around—healthy and active—for my grandchildren, I better put the work in now or face regret later. Activities that aren’t inherently joyful, like clocking time on a treadmill, get better when done in service of something bigger. The same can be said of cleaning out one’s closet. Satisfying, yes, but the buzz is too fleeting to be self-sustaining. It’s only when decluttering is reframed as a piece of a larger, more significant puzzle that it sticks. Without a bigger picture in mind, our actions are often dictated by “What’s more pleasurable in the moment?” rather than “What’s better in the long-term?” In the moment, the consequences of most choices are insignificant. It makes little difference, on …