Let’s be real for a second. How often do your mood and confidence depend on the number of likes you get on Facebook, Twitter, or any other place that has social currency?
Sadly, many of us trade social currency for confidence. Sounds like a pretty good deal, right? I’ll like your dog pictures on Facebook. And you like my cool new profile picture with sunglasses while I’m looking away from the camera.
There’s one downside this exchange. It’s FAKE. And you know it!
Nothing annoys me more than the loss of time.
When I feel like I’m wasting my time on useless activities, doing meaningless things, or when I’m spending time with negative people, I get frustrated.
When it comes to time, I agree with what Darwin once said:
“A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.”
But I’ve found that an obsession with time can put unnecessary pressure on yourself. I see it a lot with ambitious people—anyone who wants to get the most out of life.
They feel like they have to use every single minute of life. Things have to happen: Quick, quick, now, now.
Just open any given site that publishes articles on personal growth, and you will find at least one article that says: Why Keeping A Journal Will Change Your Life. A journal is truly one of the best self-improvement tools there is.
When I talk to friends, or when I coach people, I always ask: “Do you keep a journal?”
This probably won’t surprise you, but the answer is almost always “No.”
And the funny thing is that everyone knows that they should keep one. But it should is not enough. There are a lot of things that we should do—but we don’t do them.
I know something about you without knowing you. I bet you spend A LOT of time in your head.
You know, thinking, worrying, stressing, freaking out — call it whatever you want. I call it a preoccupied mind. And with what?
99% of your thoughts are useless. William James put it best:
“A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.”
All my life I’ve been obsessed with practical things. Practical philosophy, practical knowledge, practical books, practical work, and practical advice.