Introduction
It is no secret that many of us today live in a relatively easy life. We interact with many time/labor saving conveniences that we begin to take things for granted. Not only does the human body/mind biologically gravitate towards taking the path of least resistance, but many of our modern economies tend to lean towards a convenience/consumer based system which requires buyers in order to stimulate growth. This need for consumption has lead marketing and sales teams to think of innovative ways to keep you coming back for more. They have brainwashed us into believing their ads and subliminal marketing in order to keep coming back to spend our money. This is why I have 5 ways to remind yourself that you have free will.
Within the last hundred or so years after the industrial revolution it is more common than ever for us to rely on a network of global companies and middlemen to deliver essential items to a store near us. These things include (but are not limited to) food, hygiene products, décor, transportation, clothing, tools, energy/heat, medicine, plants, lighting, etc. This overreliance of the system is implanted within us at a young age as we are sold the idea that things you buy at the store are higher quality and better than things you can make at home (though this is not the case). It is meant to be an exchange of your time (money), for an exchange of convenience so that you can have more time (in the long run) since x company has industrial grade equipment or cheap labor in other countries.
The issue with this system in recent years is that it may be unnaturally efficient at making us reliant on other people’s goods and services. Many people are unaware of the origin and history of the goods/services that they are buying and would not be able to recreate said product or service without x provider. Obviously, the average Joe can’t perform brain surgery and go to the moon, but they sure can learn how to grow food, knit, make art, learn herbalism, chop wood, etc.
Sure the convenience of modern day is quiet nice and makes living easy, but it is easy to argue the notion that perhaps we are too good at manipulating our environment to better suit our needs as it seems as though through our domestication of plants and animals we have ended up domesticating ourselves. Thus leading to an addiction of consumption and an overreliance of an infinite based system within a finite world, making the average person look like princess peach in a Super Mario game.
The average person living in the western civilization does not know it, but modern life has turned us into livestock. We are fed a high grain diet, given “free range” to roam within a confined space and expected to act in accordance with the herd/pack or else suffer the punishment of the Shepard or sheepdog. This is why I speculate that creation of mainstream religions was made by people, for people as a way to scare or encourage people to have a “universal” ethic/moral code that encouraged/enforced more rational thinking rather than emotional impulses within a high density of people/city as to prevent instability/chaos.
I am sure that you are aware of the looming environmental issues in the future or all of the policies and geopolitics in the world indicating that the world may be heading towards some uncertain year. Now is the time to use this grace period to your advantage. Now is the time to figure out who you are and take back control of your life. Double down on becoming true to yourself so that you can figure things out if you are stuck in the fog.
The solutions to our modern woes are simple and can be solved with a little bit of effort and lifestyle change. I will list what has helped me in regaining control of my life and knocking some sense into me so that I could make some significant changes in my lifestyle in a way that is more liberating to me compared to how I was living during the past couple of years. Some people prefer the comfort that is modern life, but to each their own.
1. Reflect on Your Life
It may sound cliché but reflecting on earlier years of your life can help you break the mold. I like to think back to when I was a kid before the normalization of mobile devices and mainstream social media applications. I like to look back to the amount of creativity and observation that we held before we were force fed down various institutional settings to become cut into the shape of whatever shaped cookie cutter seemed fit.
Possessing an imagination and remembering all the dreams that you once had should be inspiring. It is true that you can really do anything you put your mind to. That may seem a bit farfetched, but it really is not. We are taught that we have to justify our works importance to be valued by society, which I find wrong. If you can break this idea that everything you do has to be directly useful to others then you are one step closer to breaking free. Often you will see that everything you can do has some sort of value regardless of what you believe others may think. It is common to be your own worst enemy, I found myself neglecting my inner child as an adult and it was impacting the quality of my life negatively.
2. Reflect on History
Beyond the creativity of our childhood, I think one of the best things you can do is to look back at many different cultures throughout time and see all the amazing work that they accomplished without the use of the internet, hospitals, combustion engines, and more. It is shocking to reflect on what our ancestors had accomplished during their time on this Earth. I know that many young men today long for the struggle and work ethics that many had in the years before us. It is often talked about how the common man today has no wars, no places to explore, and no real struggle.
Surprisingly, life has become so monotonous and easy that people seem to long for the drama and emotion of the story which comes from struggle. Think of all the art and innovation brought to the world in the face of struggle like blues music, the Great Wall of China, and more. Humans are good at adapting and manipulating their technology, lifestyle, and the land around them to create something better suited for them.
Sometimes it is easy to dissociate earlier humans from us today, but do remember that the modern human hasn’t really changed physiologically in tens of thousands of years. Looking at primitive tools, arts, and cultures is what inspired me to become the man I am. Our ancestors had very little and they were still able to survive despite circumstances. They did not rely on material items to determine if they were happy or not. Happiness comes from self-reliance, human relationships, and love for life with all it entails.
3. Figure Out What is Important to You
After reflecting on the past, it is crucial to sit down and figure out what is important to you. It took me two years post-college to actually figure out what was important to me and what I considered myself to be good at. I will be the first to say that some of the things that you are good at doing are things that you don’t enjoy. It is important to differentiate the two as you may not want to focus on that subject or later reflect and realize that you needed to use said subject as a tool to get to another destination in life.
Often, we will simplify what is important to us much like our ancestors and consider things like food, family, and friends or intimate partners. Beyond that, people will begin to write things that are materialistic or ideals such as money, jewelry, vacations, free time, etc… After one has gotten past the simplistic ideals, this is where you begin to start to see people struggle. Many people struggle to disconnect their identity from what they do for work. Beyond an income source they may only focus on staying comfortable and finding something good to watch on TV.
I understand that watching shows, movies, and sports are many people favorite pass time, but I would argue that they are meant to be a form of escapism and/or consumerism. This is dangerous as not only are you consumers to the system, but you are also running from the issues plaguing your life. Obviously, there are some exceptions to this statement, but often find many using certain forms of entertainment/substances to avoid issues. Figure out what things excite you in this world and help you feel like you have purpose and focus on them.
4. Change How You View Work
We all know that there are only so many hours in the day and many of us are already struggling to carve out the proper amount of time for our friends, family, and even ourselves. Many people let work consume them as they rely on it for a source of income and “security” to ensure that they can continue to live comfortably now and into the future. My relationship with how I viewed work was deeply changed post college. I wasn’t really all that impressed with the jobs offered to me in my fields, nor was I a strong candidate in the jobs I was applying for as I lacked work experience related to said jobs.
Some of the environmental compliance jobs that many of my peers were taking seemed to be a bit dry and soul crushing office jobs mainly. I had zero interest in working for a construction company and signing off on papers to work with habitat removal for land “development”. I understand that a man has to eat, but I would rather work retail than sell out on my own ethics. I can stick to beans and rice for a year or two, but I can’t stand to see the face of a hypocrite every morning.
This past spring I read Robert Kiyosaki’s famous book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, with zero expectations. The book seemed redundant and overly simplified, though that is what it takes to teach the average person a thing or two about anything. Despite critical reviews I had read online prior to reading the book, I enjoyed the book and recommend it for anyone looking to learn about personal finances and change the way they view money. The book is not perfect, but it is definitely a place to start for those who are lost.
One of the main concepts Kiyosaki stresses in his book is that the rich do not work for money. It may sound ridiculous or cliché, but it made sense to me once he further explained it. The general idea is that wealthy people are focused on working smarter, not harder. They are aware that hard work does not equate to higher earning potential, those who take the time to WORK FOR FREE (or a reduced rate in exchange for experience/learning) will gain far more in regards to earning potential than those who only work for money. When I say work for free, Kiyosaki is really referring to the idea that you must put in unpaid hours to learning and building invaluable skills though job jumping, classes/books, networking, and discipline.
It is not a comfortable journey, but if it was everyone would be doing it, everyone would be wealthy. The hardest part is taking the first step and figuring out how you want to spend your life and what you can do to minimize the time you spend working under a boss for time working on your own passions or retiring earlier. Not everyone has to be a business owner or come from wealth to break free of the cycle; you just have to do the work and go further than the average person if you truly want a more free life. One can either stay a consumer or be a producer, though there is also room to be both.
5. Embrace Smart Risks
I am writing this blog for those who are in my age bracket (18-30ish) as these are the young adults of the world who are usually free of a lot of liabilities. If you want the classic American dream of being married with kids and owning a home with a dog by the time you are 25-30 then by all means go for it. I personally am not a fan of keeping up with the Jones’ and hope to live a free, more liberating life. I am doing this by sacrificing my comfort.
I have decided to not take jobs based on how much I can earn, but by how much I can learn. If you work for money you will always be a slave to the dollar. If you are able to take jobs across your state or the country it is opening many doors for you. If you hope to own your own business or make a living writing or making art then it may be advantageous for you to learn how to market or take a regular sales job for a few years as to help teach you how to hustle and sell your items to the general public.
Forcing yourself to be uncomfortable for temporary periods is crucial if you want an above average life. Many of the risks that we are confronted with are imaginary and made in our own head. If you have no liability and no direction then this is for you. Learn who you are and learn to work for free. Don’t let your boss determine your value to a company as we all know there is no such thing as job security if you are working for someone else. Employers can fire you at any time for any reason and may give you a pay cut for reasons unknown to anyone but the people up the corporate ladder.
Conclusion
We as humans are amazing creatures. We are the people who learned how to kill animals with rock and bone implements as well as create systems to send people into outer space and on the moon. The world we live in is so vast and diverse; it feels as though life is one big fever dream. This is why I am encouraging you to figure out what you would like to do to keep you and your soul content regardless of financial earning ability and “job security”. It is often better to live your life regret free than to constantly wonder if you should’ve could’ve would’ve when it’s far too late for you to make such an attempt.
We are meant to exist and we are meant to create the world we always wanted. It is in our DNA and we will have no other options. Only you can decide if you want to play the game or get out of consumeristic cycle.