Does the real world come from a screen?

Joe Polish says this – “If you can be in a sea of pollution and not be polluted, that’s really valuable.” 

He says “social media and media is BS”.  I think he means that it does not represent reality.  It’s edited – what people decide to show.

If you are living in this false reality you are handicapped from thinking and doing the things that give you control over a good life for you.

What do you think?  Does the real world come from a screen?

Happiness can not be bought

A calm mind, a fit body, and a house full of love.  

These things must be earned.

Freedom from…

Another kind of freedom we need to live a happy life is freedom from internal torments – guilt, doubt, worry, fear, etc.

This is up to us.  Internal problems are just as problematic as external ones. 

Good character is necessary to avoid mistakes large and small.  Self-discipline and working to build our capabilities to contribute boosts our self-reliance and ability to come through for ourselves.  And working on our own physical, mental and emotional health, each as a skill to be unpacked, learned about and understood, will go a long way for us to be free.

Freedom to….

Freedom is one of those incredibly valuable things that you don’t appreciate until you lose it.  That’s why we have to continually tak about it to others and to young people.  The whole world is not a freedom fantasy land.  Men can be evil when given the power to do so.  History shows us lots of examples.

Our country was founded by men who tried to prevent this from happening here.  They wrote it up the best they could, and they and others since have warned us of the dangers creeping in.  And, they were right.  They are creeping in.

In the US, we have the freedom to do what we want.  This is an amazing freedom.  In exercising it, we find if we don’t contribute to others, we won’t get many rewards (money) and limit our options to do things that cost money.  So many of us work hard and smart making a contribution to others they will pay for, and other people decide they don’t want to do that.   

That’s freedom.  Freedom does not produce equal outcomes for all.  But the alternative (socialism, in all its forms) produces equally shared misery.

Freedom to do with our lives what we want.  Wow.  That’s awesome.

Do you know what you want?

God bless the people who know what they want and go for it.  They get started in the right path for them and through the magic of compound interest, get really good at it earlier in life.

Some people don’t know what they want.  Some say they know and get on a path and change their mind a few years later, only to do it again.

Some young people, who have grown up without adversity in a world of abundance with a myriad of opportunities, have no idea what they really want to do.  Life is easy and no great passion has been ignited.

You have to find your own path.  Not everyone will know when they get a diploma in their hand.  I think it’s unrealistic for many to be able to choose a major at age 18 that they will stick with for the long term. 

If you don’t know what your path will be to use your talent to make a contribution to the world, which is necessary to feel good about yourself and to prosper,  then try things.  I don’t mean picking any old job and see what happens.  I mean purposefully think – do I like to work with my hands or my mind?  Do I like to work with others or alone?  Inside or outside?   What is my special talent – something I’d do if I wasn’t being paid?   Does the world need that in some form it will pay for?  What careers fit?

Then seek out people who have those jobs now.  Go interview them.  Sounds weird?  I bet 9 out of 10 that get a call from you say “Sure, I’ll talk to you about what my job is like each day”.  You can shadow them at their work and see what it is REALLY like before you spend years learning and pursuing it.

We’re talking about a career, but it could be a hobby or passion outside of work.   Either way, don’t sit there and wait for inspiration to answer such an important question.  Pursue the question as actively as you’d pursue the answer when you discover it.  And don’t forget, it may be right in front of you, or very close.

No matter your age now, it’s up to you to find what fits your talent, ignites your passion and unlocks your genius.  Try things – lots of things, choosing and discarding along the way.  Clarity will save years.

You’re a genius – in something.  Find it.