91–100 of 122 posts
Assume you will fail. If you're right, it feels good to be right. If you succeed, well it feels good to succeed, and you can ignore your failed prediction.
Also, try lowering your standards. You must know (of) someone who is doing worse than you. Compare to them, instead of to someone who is doing better.
Think more of virtue than of success. Success is a hollow word, like in nutrition “it’s an empty calorie”. Rather focus on the virtues of your life. Those are life-giving, filled with “soul nutrients”.
So ... dammit man:
Feed the cat. Take the dog for a walk. If that’s all you do today, you made it.
Help a struggling neighbour make that rent payment just this month - do it anonymously. No one needs to know. Certainly not him!
Call your mom. Tell your Dad you understand. Call your sister/brother - ask if you can help in any way you can - then help.
Try to read Robert Sapolsky - he says you really don’t have free will - crazy man - it’s rather comforting to forgive yourself thoughtfully. He is a great man actually.
Forgive. Force a smile when thoughts of failure intrude. “Eyebrow” as you pass someone today with a friendly but subtle smile. (You don’t want to be creepy)
Listen to Carl Sagan’s “Pale blue dot” speech. Then watch the Cosmos series - both the new and old ones. See if that makes you feel you’re worrying about the right stuff.
Finally, be like Francisco Goya and “paint” (write software, build a house, make music, write a poem) ONLY for yourself. Begin with the intention that your work will never be allowed to be judged by another. Keep it hidden. Chip at it everyday.
Hit the cool pillow every evening imagining that just ONE more day is good enough for you to fill it up with things like the above. Perhaps even better ones.
Face the fact that a lot of things in your life are out of your control, and the best thing you can do is steer all of your focus and mental energy away from pointless anxiety and into taking the actionable steps towards your goals.
Practice meditation to develop the skillset and mental discipline that will allow you to focus on taking actionable steps instead of dwelling on stuff you can't do anything about.
Always do your best relative to the state that you're in. Optimize your knowledge (by learning and reading a lot), and behavior (by taking the right action according to your best judgement). Beyond that - let go and let the chips fall where they may.
YMMV but I'd encourage you to take a break from consuming "success porn" online. That's my broad term for: Social media: because people curate everything and only post things that make their lives look amazing. Real life isn't a constant string of wins, success, and happiness. Don't let it distort your view and wonder why your life isn't the same. Startup news: TechCrunch, Recode, Bus. Insider, and even here on HN. P…
Absolutely. Decreasing the amount of time I spent on social media has increased the quality of my life by at least 10 times. Before I used to feel intimidated going to the gym, posting on my tech blog, simply because everyone else was just doing it better than myself or at least I believed so and cared. When I went on to actually do and enjoy things, I noticed how everything is so imperfect and how in essence I do no…
Tai Lopez is the definition of the word humblebrag.
Be Marcus Aurelius. Become a stoic. Think more of virtue than of success. Success is a hollow word, like in nutrition “it’s an empty calorie”. Rather focus on the virtues of your life. Those are life-giving, filled with “soul nutrients”. So ... dammit man: Feed the cat. Take the dog for a walk. If that’s all you do today, you made it. Help a struggling neighbour make that rent payment just this month - do it anonymou…
Be Marcus Aurelius. Become a stoic. Think more of virtue than of success. Success is a hollow word, like in nutrition “it’s an empty calorie”. Rather focus on the virtues of your life. Those are life-giving, filled with “soul nutrients”. So ... dammit man: Feed the cat. Take the dog for a walk. If that’s all you do today, you made it. Help a struggling neighbour make that rent payment just this month - do it anonymou…
YMMV but I'd encourage you to take a break from consuming "success porn" online. That's my broad term for: Social media: because people curate everything and only post things that make their lives look amazing. Real life isn't a constant string of wins, success, and happiness. Don't let it distort your view and wonder why your life isn't the same. Startup news: TechCrunch, Recode, Bus. Insider, and even here on HN. P…
I know this differs between people but I'd be interested to know what sites you view as the opposite of those listed.
Be Marcus Aurelius. Become a stoic. Think more of virtue than of success. Success is a hollow word, like in nutrition “it’s an empty calorie”. Rather focus on the virtues of your life. Those are life-giving, filled with “soul nutrients”. So ... dammit man: Feed the cat. Take the dog for a walk. If that’s all you do today, you made it. Help a struggling neighbour make that rent payment just this month - do it anonymou…
Lovely comment. FWIW - I found the Enchidrion ( http://www.ideonautics.net/manual2.htm ) to be the best introduction to Stoic philosophy.
YMMV but I'd encourage you to take a break from consuming "success porn" online. That's my broad term for: Social media: because people curate everything and only post things that make their lives look amazing. Real life isn't a constant string of wins, success, and happiness. Don't let it distort your view and wonder why your life isn't the same. Startup news: TechCrunch, Recode, Bus. Insider, and even here on HN. P…
Any non-"success porn" sites you might recommend? I know this differs between people but I'd be interested to know what sites you view as the opposite of those listed.
Be Marcus Aurelius. Become a stoic. Think more of virtue than of success. Success is a hollow word, like in nutrition “it’s an empty calorie”. Rather focus on the virtues of your life. Those are life-giving, filled with “soul nutrients”. So ... dammit man: Feed the cat. Take the dog for a walk. If that’s all you do today, you made it. Help a struggling neighbour make that rent payment just this month - do it anonymou…
Lovely comment. FWIW - I found the Enchidrion ( http://www.ideonautics.net/manual2.htm ) to be the best introduction to Stoic philosophy.