The Road Less Traveled combined Dr. Peck’s experiences from his psychiatric practice with mystical interpretations dealt primarily with personal responsibility for growth of love and spirituality. The book’s opening sentence, “Life is difficult,” introduced the theme that each day presents a series of challenges.
Solving problems gives life meaning by enabling us to grow mentally and spiritually As we grow in discipline and love, our empathy for others grows, too. Without growth, we tend to define our worldview too narrowly, becoming harshly judgmental of others.
Avoiding problems produces emotional illness. Since all of us tend to avoid the uncomfortable feelings engendered by problem solving, all of us to a greater of lesser degree lack complete emotional health. All of us would benefit from learning the value of facing our problems directly and experiencing the pain of solving problems. Constructive problem solving—discipline—consists of four characteristics: delaying gratification, accepting responsibility, telling the truth and avoiding enmeshment.