The modern world is fucking awesome.

Okay, let’s consider some facts:

Life has never been safer. Ignore the news and terrorist stacks.
If you live in the “developed” world, you will NOT DIE of starvation, or more diseases. Assuming you don’t die in a texting and driving accident, you will probably live to be at least 80 years old. If you’re born in the 1980s (my generation), you will probably be 90 years old.
Anyone in the developed world can afford an iPhone. Or a used iPhone. So you can take very good pictures. You can use free Google services for unlimited photo storage, backups, searching for information, free music and media on YouTube, free email, and free books via Gutenberg.org or archive.org

You have a SUPER ABUNDANCE of opportunities with modern digital and internet technology lowering the barrier to entry for entrepreneurship. For example, anyone who wants to start their own blog, with enough hard work (and some luck) can make it to the first page of Google. And therefore get “free advertising” for your business.

Everything is free

Clothes are essentially free. You will never freeze to death.

Phones cost practically nothing. WiFi is free. Coffee is close to free. Food is insanely cheap, I survive mostly on eggs and cheap pork belly.

We have all our basic needs met. You can live in a very cheap apartment, assuming you don’t need your own room and “privacy.”

If you live BELOW your means, you will be abundantly wealthy. And enough money to cover your basic needs, and have 100% unlimited free leisure time… to do whatever you want. Even if you have a 40-hour a week job, you have a LOT of free time before work, during your lunch break, and after work. And on weekends.

We cannot complain of having no “free time” if we watch Netflix or play video games.

You can make art for free

River and crane. Kyoto, 2017.

You can make pictures for free. You can access art for free (wikiart.ort and Google Art / Images). You can make free digital illustrations. I make a lot of art on iPad and Procreate app. By the way, you can buy a BRAND NEW iPad for only $330! And, you can buy an iPhone Touch for Only $199 (which has a good camera).

What is holding you back?

ERIC KIM SELFIE with black wall. Kyoto, 2017

So friend, we live in a world of super abundance… what is holding you back?

My only theory; fear. Fear of judgment of your peers. Fear that you won’t be able to meet your own potential.

My suggestion: Learn to Believe in Yourself by taking more risks, ignoring others, and listening to yourself… your own gut. Have the freedom to be a bit crazy.

Play like a kid. Treat life like your own playground. Don’t take it too seriously.

Embrace Nietzsche’s concept of the “eternal return”— if you knew today that you would live forever, with your life on loop, would you be fucking horrified, or would you jump for joy?

Share your favorite artwork in ERIC KIM FORUM, and conquer your fears and meet new peers in ERIC KIM EXPERIENCE.

BE BOLD,
ERIC