Whether you like it or not: Suffering is one of the inherent parts of life. It’s inevitable. And if you don’t believe me, consider this: Every person that you love is going to die at some point. F**king hell Alex, that’s a bit morbid. I know, I know… But the point I’m trying to make is that suffering is going to happen whether you like it or not. And one of the keys to living a fulfilling life isn’t to avoid suffering but to pursue meaning that justifies the level of suffering you’re going to face regardless. Meaning isn’t a “Nice to have” in life. It’s essential. When you don’t have meaning, you slowly die on the inside. That’s what Benjamin Franklin meant when he said: “Most people die at 25 but aren’t buried until they’re 75”. Because they end up “going through the motions”....working jobs they don’t care about, staying in unfulfilling relationships, living for the weekend and distracting themselves from deeper dissatisfaction. They slowly die on the inside. But meaning isn’t something you find, it’s something you create. It’s created in the process of discovering who you really are (your values, your strengths, your vision, your passions…) and taking action that’s aligned with your authentic self. It’s created by contributing to something bigger than yourself. By cultivating deep and meaningful relationships. Life is going to suck at times. You’re going to suffer. But it’s you’re responsible to make that suffering worth it. Much love, PS: What I’m reading: The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair - Joël Dicker |
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It’s something you might do without noticing. Something that slowly chips away at your self-confidence. Something that destroys your integrity and self-worth. It’s a silent but deadly enemy called: Breaking promises to yourself. Sound familiar? “I’ll get back to you on Friday” “Next year I’m going to start a business” “Tomorrow morning I’m going to the gym” Every time you say you’ll do something and you don’t: You slowly erode the relationship between you and your word. You slowly deteriorate...
There’s a particularly nasty group of viruses out there. Viruses that influence your thinking. They influence how you see the world. They influence your emotional state. They influence your general mood. They are everywhere yet no one is talking about them: Memetic viruses. Contagious beliefs that hijack your thinking. These thought-viruses can come from anywhere: The news, social media, your parents, friends, colleagues, teachers, even well-meaning mentors… And once they’re in your mind,...
This Monday I did a very powerful exercise. I made myself a cup of coffee, set a timer for 30 mins and started writing down all the lessons I would give my 29 year old self (just before he quit his corporate job). I then cleaned them up a bit so he could print them out and put them on his fridge. This was the final edit:1) Don’t ask people for advice who aren’t living the life you want to live. 2) “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t either way you are right” - drill this quote...