Practical ideas on optimism.
1. This will make you stronger.
Difficulty is what awakens the giant within us.
So don’t be afraid of difficulty in life. Rather, think that Difficulties will actually make us stronger, more resourceful, and more clever.
If anything, we should take more risks in life, to expose ourselves to more difficulties. And those Difficulties will make us more powerful.
Who doesn’t like to feel more powerful?
2. Technology is fucking amazing.
Ok, just consider: you have access to the entire sum of human knowledge, that is accessible in a 4 inch glass and metal slab.
I was born in 1988. The best I had was a Super Nintendo. If I had to answer a question, I had to schlep myself (and very heavy Jansport backpack) all the way to the library.
When I was in high school, there was no Youtube. Now, you can make a living being a “Youtube celebrity.” In the past, you had to be “discovered” by an agent.
Now, you can discover yourself, and promote yourself (via internet).
My mom always tells me, “Eric, you’re so lucky and fortunate. If you were born 10 years ago, you couldn’t do your passion for a living.”
She is right. The internet has democratized the playing field. No more barriers to entry. If you have enough hustle, skill, and opportunity, you can do anything you want to do, and become anyone you want to be.
Consider that wireless wifi is essentially free at this point. You can buy a smartphone for less than $100. You can now “be your own boss” by being an Uber driver (wish I could have done this in college).
Technology keeps getting cheaper, internet keeps getting faster and more and more opportunity is opening up.
3. Ruthlessly cut negative people from your life
It is better to cut negative people from your life than add positive people.
For example, if you have negative “nay sayers” in your life, people who emotionally blackmail you (includes family members), or friends who shit on your dreams, cut them out of your life. Be ruthless.
I had to cut my dad out my life. He was nothing but a toxic black cloud. And I didn’t want to pollute my fresh spring water.
You were destined for greatness and grandeur. Why let negative folks drag you down, when you were destined to fly to the highest heights?
Conclusion
Being positive and optimistic is no easy matter. Even Seneca said, “Sometimes even to live is an act of bravery.”
Life will shoot at you, and you will feel the bullet holes. But you will rise superior.
BE STRONG,
ERIC
STOICISM >
Become invincible:
- Why I Don’t Take My Anger Seriously
- HOW TO BECOME MORE POWERFUL
- POSITIVITY.
- HOW TO BECOME SUPERHUMAN
- How to Give a Fuck Less
- ALL IN.
- Why I Cut My Dad Out of My Life.
- Your iPhone Only Has 5% Battery Left.
- How not to give a FUCK about your REPUTATION
- WHAT IS A HUMAN?
- HAPPINESS.
- The Regret Minimization Framework in Photography and Life
- How to Be a HERO
- Conquer Your Fears by Making Fear Your Slave
- Rule Circumstances; Don’t Let Your Circumstances Rule You
- How to Love Yourself
- How to Turn Shit into Gold
- Your Parents Fuck You Up
- Immortality
- What Kills You Makes You Stronger
- How to Be Patient
- How to Conquer Anger
- How to Bounce Back in Life
- How to Overcome Resistance
- Nothing Unlimited is Good; Nothing Good is Unlimited
- You Have No Limits
- Can 1’s and 0’s Hurt You?
- The Envious Moment is Flying Now
- Tomorrow We’ll Sail the Wide Seas Again
- How to Forgive Others
- Focus on Your Actions, Not the Results
- Everything Will Be Alright
- How to Be a Stoic Street Photographer
- How to Be a Spartan Photographer
- How to Overcome Your Fears in Life
- How to Stop Worrying in Life
- How to Use Photography as Self-Therapy
- How to Free Your Soul From Disturbance
- 3 Stoic Techniques that Can Help You Gain Tranquility
- Can People Weaker than You Hurt You?
- Does a Doctor Get Angry at a Crazy Patient?
- Own Nothing
The Stoic Masters
Learn from the master stoics: