Discipline is a lie. It almost always backfires. Forcing yourself to do something you don’t want to do and living in pain for a sustained amount of time is against human nature. The trick is to set up your life in such a way that effort feels rather effortless. Tread the path of least resistance.
I know that not caring about what most people care about will make you charismatic. People gravitate towards those with “I don’t give a fuck” energy.
If you become famous by pretending to be someone you are not, you will feel hollow and existential at the top, because you are not loved for who you are, which means “you” are not loved at all. I am convinced celebrities juggle this all the time, and it’s very, very difficult.
Most social norms have no consequences when you break them. People who’ve figured this out keep saying “you can just do things” because it’s true. Society is not for individuals. It is for structural stability. You must be intentional about how and why you are participating. Plus, following social norms often requires pretending, another reason to eradicate such useless efforts when possible, which is almost always.
Inspirations are divine yet ephemeral. We can create conditions that encourage them, but we cannot control when and how they arrive. When they arrive, we must be open enough to receive. When we receive, we must be available enough to act right away.
Inspirations come more often for people who are persistent in a craft. They can be magnified by or completely disguised as talent, which is not to say talent isn’t real. The truth is anyone can be vehicles through which inspirations and beauty pass to create resonance in other human beings. That vibration seeds life.
I know that flow states are very similar to manic states.
I know that whatever practical thing you look for in a partner (e.g. money), you not only lack the thing yourself, you also lack the faith you will obtain it on your own.
It’s worth committing to always being truthful. When you can’t make it to a party, you can just say “I don’t feel like it,” or better yet, a simple “no,” instead of “I have work tonight.” We torture ourselves over lies on big things, but we don’t think twice on small lies. Stop lying, period. Lies stack up. Your body knows and will punish you.
Adventures are different from crafts. Startups are both. People often make the mistake of seeking excitement in crafts and seeking progress in adventures, which can lead to quick abandonment of both. I made this mistake many times over.
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