Darius Foroux, Author at Darius Foroux

If You’re Not Skipping Some Tasks, You’re Making Life Harder

December 6, 2021 No Comments

Sometimes you run into a challenge that stops you in your tracks. And you have this voice in your head that says, “I NEED to solve this thing. Otherwise, I can’t move on.”

Remember when you had to take tests in school, and you would run into a question you didn’t have the answer to?

What do you do when you run into a challenge like that? Do you keep trying hard to remember the answer or to solve the problem?

Or do you skip the question and finish the test first before you come back to it? For many years, I did the former. I always assumed you needed to complete a test from start to finish.

I used to be pretty anxious before taking tests. But one time, a teacher told me, “Just skip a question you don’t have the answer to.” This advice was golden to me as a kid.

Previously, I thought things like, “What if I get stuck?”

Now, I think, “So what if I get stuck? I’ll just skip it!”

I still apply that advice in my adult life. In fact, it’s one of the reasons I get so much done.

Mindfulness, Philosophy

Detachment vs Non-attachment: Eastern Wisdom for Inner Peace

November 29, 2021 No Comments

In Eastern philosophy, particularly in Buddhism, there’s a powerful concept called Nekkhamma.

This Pali word is usually translated in English as “renunciation,” in relation to desires. When people talk about Nekkhamma, they usually talk about giving up desires so you can live free from that type of pull.

It’s an extremely subtle concept that you can interpret in many ways. To me, it’s all about non-attachment—not to be confused with detachment. I learned about this distinction from the writer and teacher, Joseph Goldstein, who is one of the first Mindfulness meditation teachers in the US.

He has a series of lectures on the Wa king Up app, based on his meditation retreats. In a lesson called “Wisdom of Impermanence,” he talks about non-attachment, and why you want to aim for that over detachment.

The way Goldstein describes it, non-attachment is about not holding on to anything that happens in life, whether those are experiences, events, or thoughts. That’s the difference with detachment, which means you pull away from something. Applying this concept in your life will have a huge difference in the way you live.

Personal Finance, Wealth Building

Why Rich People Avoid Consumerism

November 25, 2021 No Comments

In the inflationary world that started in 2021, some new cars were sold ten to thirty percent over their asking price. This is the primary example most media outlets use when they cover inflation.

It’s so telling of the time we’re living in. People would rather pay more for a new car than drive their existing one for another year. Consumerism at its height.

One of our family friends is a very wealthy man. His net worth is in the high eight-figure range. His favorite car brand is Mercedes because his father and grandfather always had one. So he and his brother are also Mercedes fans.

When I was in college, he always had an E-class. He once told me a story about how he and his brother upgraded their cars. “Once every four to five years, we go to the dealership and buy the exact same car, but the latest edition. The people there also know exactly what we want so we just go there to sign.”

It’s been a ritual for them. Same model, same color (he buys silver metallic, his brother black), same configuration, just newer. About eight or nine years ago, they switched things up. They went for the S-class. A great luxury vehicle.

It’s about time for them to go to the dealership again. But last time I heard from him (a few weeks ago), he was still driving his 2017 model. Buying a new car is not at the top of his list. My dad asked him, “When are you getting the new model?”

Procrastination, Productivity

How I’m Adjusting My Productivity System for the Distraction Age

November 18, 2021 No Comments

Ever since the early 2010s, people have been warning of the “age of distraction.” It’s no longer a warning. We’re definitely living through the Distraction Age.

The start of the 2020s has shown all of us how draining it can be to deal with distractions.

It’s no surprise so many of us feel chronically drained. There’s so much information we have to process and so many things we have to adjust to.

On top of that, it seems like there’s even more uncertainty when it comes to the economy, health care, and the rising cost of living.

Let’s not talk about the things we can’t control. Let’s focus on the only thing that’s inside your control: You.

In this article, I’m sharing how I’ve adjusted my existing productivity strategy and how you can use these insights to improve yourself in an age of distraction.

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