You are an animal consciousness. The universe will be the way it will be. Suffering comes from the gap between what you have and what you want. You can reduce the gap in both directions. You can want less. You can get more. Wanting less will add value to your life. You still need a … [Read more…]
There’s more than one way to skin a cat. And probably no best way. If you’re facing a hard decision, there will be a better route that will never come to mind. Don’t let that paralyze you. I advocate separating action from reflection. Action is flowing in the moment and reflection is thinking about the … [Read more…]
More choice offers more chance of regret. You’ll stew when you have more options. Best is to make the decision stop over-thinking. Hard decisions require failure. “Some mistakes will be made along the way. That’s good! Cause at least some decisions are being made along the way. We’ll find the mistakes, and we’ll fix them.” … [Read more…]
Eliminating struggle makes life meaningless. But struggling is different from suffering. You can struggle and still believe you will overcome. Suffering comes from a divided mind. It’s caused by wanting opposing things. When you struggle for the answers, you value them. Struggle gives meaning to life. Putting in the work creates the reward. It’s easy … [Read more…]
There is no stopping you when it’s something you want. Yet every act of willpower you expend actually decreases your store of willpower for a certain amount of time. This has been shown in scientific studies, it’s called ego depletion. So how can you change what you’re doing so that it’s seen in a spirit … [Read more…]
You can always do one more thing. That is, until your body wears out. What is the point of your life? Alas, I think it’s not a question that can really be answered. You have to give your life meaning. You have to uncover and discover why life matters to you, given your personal experiences. … [Read more…]
Ideas should make sense. Coherent ideas have better stories. Which of these two jokes, from The Invisible Gorilla, do you find funnier? 1. Question: What is as big as a man, but weighs nothing? Answer: His shadow. 2. If a kid asks where rain comes from, I think a cute thing to tell him is … [Read more…]
Humanity isn’t advancing in a predefined direction. Each person has an impact on where we will be in a hundred years. It’s like a rock tumbling down a hill. Any small variation will change the course dramatically. The ride from bad systems to better ones is not smooth. Humans are complicated creatures. Thankfully, it seems … [Read more…]
You are a human being, and it is when you let go of your desire to achieve that you can be. That being is how you learn who you are. It’s not through achieving contrived ends. It’s when you watch yourself acting that you become fully aware and engrossed in the process. Let yourself go. … [Read more…]
Why do humans want to believe in free will? Free will is the ability to make choices without being imposed upon. You are not free: you did not choose to be born. You did not choose to whom or when or where. Clearly we are animals. How can meaning be found in your animal? The … [Read more…]