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To Anyone Who Thinks They're Falling Behind in Life

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Re: To Anyone Who Thinks They're Falling Behind in Life

#31

Post by brahmwg »

the4dpatrick wrote: post #10
neilgrey wrote: post #6

I wonder how many people will read this article, have a lightbulb go off in their head, feel warm and fuzzy about it all, then wake up tomorrow and do absolutely nothing about it. Probably most. This article is unfortunately what it epitimizes the most -- a self-help conundrum. Advice given from the perspective of a workaholic. But alas, what tools does it actually provide to take action? Walk away from everything? S…

> "We have to put in our best efforts and then give ourselves permission to let whatever happens to happen" A friend once shared how surfing illustrates how having a process driven approach vs. a result driven approach is beneficial. In surfing you start off knowing the basics of how to get on the water, standing up on the board, and riding the wave. You may know the basics, but until you actually go out in the water…

Life is a journey, not a destination.

Re: To Anyone Who Thinks They're Falling Behind in Life

#32

Post by the4dpatrick »

brahmwg wrote: post #31
the4dpatrick wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "We have to put in our best efforts and then give ourselves permission to let whatever happens to happen" A friend once shared how surfing illustrates how having a process driven approach vs. a result driven approach is beneficial. In surfing you start off knowing the basics of how to get on the water, standing up on the board, and riding the wave. You may know the basics, but until you actually go out in the water…

Life is a journey, not a destination.

Well summarized

Re: To Anyone Who Thinks They're Falling Behind in Life

#33

Post by neilgrey »

andrew_eit wrote: post #13
neilgrey wrote: post #6

I wonder how many people will read this article, have a lightbulb go off in their head, feel warm and fuzzy about it all, then wake up tomorrow and do absolutely nothing about it. Probably most. This article is unfortunately what it epitimizes the most -- a self-help conundrum. Advice given from the perspective of a workaholic. But alas, what tools does it actually provide to take action? Walk away from everything? S…

I feel as though you missed the point of the article by advocating for people to make meaning and purpose in their lives by doing something that scares them. I think this type of thinking gives way to the mentality that leads to the problems described in the article. It is not about working hard to make meaning or to 'fix' things that are broken or that you are not happy about but rather to 'let go'. To let go to the…

I feel as though you picked a single statement out of my comment and took it out of context.

The whole concept of running the hamster wheel in the first place is flawed; who are you "falling behind" if not comparing yourself to other people.

The article wants us to "take a fucking step back for a moment, stop beating ourselves up into oblivion, and to let the cogs turn as they will". What I'm saying is don't put yourself in that situation in the first place. Take joy and find meaning in the day-to-day of what you're doing, instead of setting the expectation that you're supposed to be "better than anyone else", at anything, really.

joslin01 said it pretty well in another comment: "It's best to be honest with yourself and come to terms with where you are in life and where you want to be. After that, unless you put action into your belief, you will be sad. Even if you fail, but put action into the belief, you'll be happy and have grown."

So, I implore you, what is something you're actually going to do with this self-help article's new-found insight that you "can't control everything" and need to "just chill"? Will it bring you more happiness knowing that anytime you're running yourself ragged you can "step back" and reassure yourself that you're "just human"?

Re: To Anyone Who Thinks They're Falling Behind in Life

#35

Post by tblumer3 »

Wow, this article sounds like the perfect invite to not work too hard in life and just cruise by. Thanks! Thats just what more American's need, a reason not to work!

And yes, I read the comments here about working hard, then letting the chips fall where they may. But that was not the message of the article. It was just one line smashed between a bunch of crap about accepting where you are in life. WTF is this junk?

If your life sucks, make it better. No one will do it for you. Period.

Re: To Anyone Who Thinks They're Falling Behind in Life

#36

Post by bmh_ca »

erikpukinskis wrote: post #14

Legally, "permission to be where you are" is a right reserved for the capital class. Even in my home my right to stay only lasts for 60 days and then I am subject to whatever forms of violence are necessary to remove me so that a pre-designated member of the capital class can be where I am. From here it's miles to a place where I have the right to urinate, and tens of miles to a place where I have a right to sleep, a…

> Legally, "permission to be where you are" is a right reserved for the capital class.

That's a brilliant statement, on many levels.

One might chose to refine it by changing "legally" to some other word, such as "practically". The rich are not governed by the laws of men.

Re: To Anyone Who Thinks They're Falling Behind in Life

#39

Post by r-w »

jondubois wrote: post #23
erikpukinskis wrote: post #14

Legally, "permission to be where you are" is a right reserved for the capital class. Even in my home my right to stay only lasts for 60 days and then I am subject to whatever forms of violence are necessary to remove me so that a pre-designated member of the capital class can be where I am. From here it's miles to a place where I have the right to urinate, and tens of miles to a place where I have a right to sleep, a…

Agreed. We are manipulated by the system. Corporations force us to move to bigger cities where rent is more expensive, living space is smaller and quality of life is lower. Humans are farmed like poultry - City humans are caged chickens, suburban humans are the "free range" variety. Corporations want to see more humans per square feet because that's more profitable for them. The energy savings we contribute to by liv…

> Humans are farmed like poultry - City humans are caged chickens, suburban humans are the "free range" variety.

…and rural humans are space aliens.

Re: To Anyone Who Thinks They're Falling Behind in Life

#40

Post by pbhjpbhj »

IkmoIkmo wrote: post #19
anotheryou wrote: post #3

And another thing: most of us will be medicore, and it's probably better to be ok with it :) maybe being happy, not successful is all it takes

Indeed, statistically we can't all excel, we had best shape a culture in which this fact of life is bearable. Reminds me of a funny study that finds most teachers rate themselves above average teachers, most drivers rate themselves above average, etc (of course, statistically this is impossible).

Can't we all excel at different things?

The problem with those surveys could be the question as much as anything - one driver considered themselves above average because they can drive faster, another because they're safer, another because they have better fuel economy, ..., most drivers can be better than average as the meaning of average each driver users isn't being rigorously defined.

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