Everyone who uses the Internet is a media consumer. There are three types of media consumers, and we all have these three types in us. Do you have enough self-awareness to know when and how often you are which? 1. The Escapist The escapist consumes media to feed his desire for immediate gratification. He consumes news and entertainment for pleasure. He consumes to distract himself from himself and his problems—to escape from life. The escapist's principle is to consume and … [Read more...]
Little Bad Feelings & Personal Growth
Every failure is an opportunity for growth. It is easy to see that. But also: A little bad feeling is a little opportunity for growth. It is easy to overlook that—and to deaden little bad feelings with little bad pleasures (sugar, drugs, porn, entertainment).* Let us take good, mindful little steps on our path to greatness. Let us walk with little bad feelings. * Advanced insight: Sometimes we choose little bad pleasures not to make us feel better, but to avoid feeling out of control. For … [Read more...]
On the Essence of Willpower
Willpower, in its essence, is the ability to say Stop! and Go!—this is the simplest formula for achievement. The decision to resist or get going is not more complex than that. A determined Stop! is death to your circular rumination, linear procrastination, and spiral temptation. A determined Go! is death to your musty laziness, rusty will, and gusty fear of uncertainty. Even as I'm entertaining myself with such semi-creative adjectives, all I'm doing is saying Stop!—to flee from my sexual … [Read more...]
A Few Words on Perfectionism
Perfectionism does not breed greatness. Practice makes great, and giving one hundred percent makes for a great practice. Sometimes, we feel unable to give it our best. But—we try nonetheless. Fuck perfection, just get started! Now that we have gotten started, we shall still not seek for perfection. Too often, this creates an illusion of progress. We get caught up in petty details and misuse them to procrastinate. Instead of moving on to bigger challenges, we hone and hone and hone.* We waste … [Read more...]
How to Develop Discipline Without Going to War
How War Promotes Discipline A good soldier going to war embodies discipline in its essence and its richness. He needs discipline to kill and to survive. And he is embedded in a social structure—a team, a platoon—that demands nothing of him but discipline. His work is a training in discipline. His art is a training in discipline. His life is a training in discipline. Likewise, when you train in a sports team, what is demanded of you is just that:—discipline. And likewise when you work in a … [Read more...]