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title: The Nova Effect
created: 2025-11-19T05:35:28
modified: 2025-11-19T21:00:06
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> _“You never know what worse luck your bad luck saved you from.” — Cormac McCarthy_

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is a psychological phenomenon of a decline in happiness after a period of good fortune.

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A “nova” is a sudden bright burst — something that looks like spectacular good fortune — but can also be destructive.

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骨牌般相依的好運與厄運

Your bad luck may actually be good luck and vice versa.

Something that appears fantastic at first may later cause harm, and something that seems terrible might lead to growth or opportunity.

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The decline in well-being arises from our tendency to adapt to prolonged positive conditions, making it difficult to recalibrate when those conditions change. In other words, individuals become victims of the _[tragedy of good luck](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGVhOWqsBWM)_.

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Events are impossible to judge in isolation — **their long-term consequences often surprise us, and short-term fortune or misfortune can flip its meaning over time.**

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The happiness is not in the _having_, but in the _becoming_.

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[Journey over destination](journey-over-destination.md)