Lifestyle

Everyone needs meaning in their life, man does not live off bread alone. The complication is that there is no singular correct guidebook for how to live. Yes there are religious books like The Bible or The Quran which give guidance to believers, but in our increasingly agnostic age, many people have poor guidance. Even people who were raised by good parents and have intelligent friends need to figure things out for themselves.

 

Transitioning in Life

I was lucky enough to be born into a great family, so whenever I needed guidance I could go to my parents or extended family. In middle school and high school I turned away from this guidance and sought to carve my own path in the world. This mostly included playing the fool in class and experimenting with drinking and drugs.

My next transition was when I finished high school and moved away for university. I realized I was the guardian of my own life. I solely take responsibility for everything in my life and deal with any issues I encounter. My choices started to have a heavier weight on my life, this is the burden of responsibility. In university I rediscovered my love for reading. I read a wide range of books including philosophy, psychology, biographies, and literature. The latter being the best source of wisdom I have ever encountered.

One of the most influential authors I read was the 18th century German writer, Goethe.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Germany’s greatest writer

Goethe’s magnus opus, and arguably the greatest work of German literature was Faust. Faust is a tragic play based on the legend of the German Renaissance alchemist, astrologer, and magician. In Goethe’s tale, Faust is a successful scholar yet deeply unsatisfied with his life. He makes a deal with the devil exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures.

The legend of Faust was so powerful for me because I could see myself as Faust. It’s easy to understand the attraction of selling your soul for an amazing worldly life, this is why the pact with the devil is such a strong idea. For an ambitious person, a Faustian bargain is an attractive scenario, and many people make it. Fortunately, I realized knowledge and sensory pleasure aren’t the pillars of a fulfilling life. I knew I needed something more fruitful, so I sought to figure it out.

I am finished university now and I am in my mid/early twenties. My future has a basic plan and outline for 5 and 10 years in the future, as well as more long-term plans.

 

Know Yourself

To plan the future you need to understand your strengths and weaknesses and know what you want from life. Essentially, know yourself and know your goals. Most people do not do this, so even having very simple goals and doing simple introspection will put you ahead of most people. People don’t like to do this step because it makes them think about their weaknesses, understandable, but no excuse not to do it. People also hate to write out their goals, because once they express them they are accountable to them.

 

Understand The World

Every period of human history has its strengths and weaknesses. Our modern world is the most comfortable period and safe the world has ever been. We also live in a period of low economic productivity where people in the Western world are less optimistic about their economic future than their parents generation. We are undergoing an economic shift, globalization, technology, and the gig economy are all leading to less secure futures.

The one company man (same career for 30+ years) is not going to return in spades. People need to diversify and own their income streams, I recommend everyone start an online business. This will provide you ownership of the income stream and will provide the opportunity to scale the business. The internet will continue to grow, and websites perform better as they get older and Google’s algorithm trusts them more. This is the best long-term play you can make.

The modern world also has a lot of traps and distractions previous generations didn’t have to deal with. The biggest of all is technology and dealing with information overload. If you can manage this issue and you understand the structural changes occurring in the economy, you are in a great position to capitalize and succeed.

 

Take A Leap Of Faith

Once you understand yourself and understand the world, you should go all-in on what you want. You shouldn’t be afraid to fail at anything you do, that’s fine and this provides an opportunity to grow – the important thing is getting back up again. You need to be able to believe in yourself and bet everything on yourself. This involves taking a leap of faith into what you believe is right for yourself.

This is not to say you shouldn’t have a backup plan. You most definitely should have a backup plan, and a way to pivot to something else in a few months flat. It’s not easy but it’s necessary and need a rudimentary backup plan in the changing world.

It is not contradictory to take a leap of faith and have a back-up plan.

“There is perhaps nothing worse than reaching the top of the ladder and discovering that you’re on the wrong wall.” – Joseph Campbell

Sleep is vitally important to success in any field. When you are sleep deprived you will always perform worse, and chronic sleep deprivation can lead to a series of health issues. One of the leading causes of insomnia, is technology.

People aren’t aware of the effects of using technology right before they go to bed. The blue light from digital screen such as smart phones leads to the suppression of melatonin. This is the hormone that regulates sleep/wake cycles, blue light suppresses melatonin production and makes it harder to fall asleep. As a tech skeptic I know this is an issue so I don’t do this.

 

The Origin of Sleep Issues

I never had any type of sleep problem growing up. I would be exhausted from whatever I did during the day and fall asleep immediately. I started developing some sleep issues in college whenever I had a big paper or exam. The combination of stress, anxiety, and caffeine can do serious damage to anyone’s sleep patterns.

In my last two years of my undergrad I became a functional caffeine addict. This is extremely common in the modern Western world, we have forgotten how to relax. So for my junior and senior year I lived the typical college experience. Too much caffeine and last minute papers, and a (un)healthy amount of partying as well. I accepted this for what it was and told myself I would fix my sleep patterns after I graduated.

 

The First Solution

I knew what the problem I had to solve was – too much stress and caffeine.  The stress decreased after I finished my last set of exams, the caffeine did not. I had other projects I was working on, and these were powered by strong coffee. The easiest solution to fixing my sleep issue is to stop drinking coffee after 2pm. So I implemented this rule as well as did more research into sleep.

I felt I had all the boxes checked,

• low stress
• no blue light/technology before bed
• read a book before sleep
• no caffeine after 3pm

My sleep improved most nights, but I would still have relatively frequent insomnia, which really bothered me. My lifestyle should not lead to insomnia – and this is something I never struggled with as a kid, and I should not struggle with it.

 

The Second Solution

My frustration with my first solution led me to a more radical decision. I decided to take a break from coffee, instead I would drink a couple of cups of tea a day. Therefore I would avoid the issue of headaches and grogginess from going cold turkey from caffeine.

So I stopped drinking coffee and my insomnia went away immediately. This was an incredibly simple (not easy) solution that pointed out the culprit – too much coffee. I knew it was unsustainable, and undesirable to cut out coffee completely. Instead I thought about my coffee consumption, even if I stopped drinking coffee 8 hours before I went to bed I still drank a lot of coffee during the day.

I would simply drink the same amount of coffee, but do it in less time. I was still consuming the same amount of caffeine in a day.

 

Losing Sight Of The Forest For The Trees

I am an avid coffee drinker. I love the effects of coffee, it helps me be more productive, and perform better at the gym. I could easily drink 4 big mugs of coffee per day and think nothing of it.

I was doing whatever I could to rationalize my coffee consumption. In the end it came down to a very simple fact, I was consuming a lot of a stimulant. This should have been a significant indicator to drink less coffee.

The lesson here: always look for the simplest solution to issues before moving on to more complicated solutions.

Why is one job not enough for most people? Smart people should be able to get jobs that pay enough for them to live well. If people can do this why would they opt to work unskilled jobs as a contractor as well – this is what a side hustle is.

A side hustle is another way for people to make money on the side of their main job. People become contractors for companies and are able to set their own hours and work when they have free time.

 

Most people would prefer to work a 9-5 and spend their spare time doing things they love. 80-90% of people are not workaholics, I believe a lot of people working side-hustles out of necessity.

Side Hustle vs. Online Business

This side-hustle phenomena is completely different from starting a business on the side of your job. I believe entrepreneurial people should have a job, start an internet business, and have investments. But it is unreasonable for most people to do this, they are not ambitious enough.

For ambitious people, having a job, internet biz, and investments is a good plan for ambitious people. The truth is that most people do not have the stamina and enough ability to delay gratification to go through with this plan.

 

What are some side hustles?

Side Hustles are things like:

• Driving for Uber or Lyft
• Having a part-time job
• Using task-rabbit
• Giving music lessons
• Being a personal assistant
• Writing resumes for people

A side hustle is something you do in your spare time that isn’t your main occupation and isn’t scalable. For example, writing resumes for people through an online resume service. You are exchanging your time for money. You are a contractor to a business, you are doing freelance work for a company for a wage.

Exchanging time for money is an essential part of a side hustle.

The difference between this and running a business is the ownership aspect. If you are an entrepreneur you can grow the business and you accept the risk and reward of this. As someone who has a side hustle, you get paid what someone else says you should get paid. A side-hustle is a part-time job where you set your own schedule.

Why is it such a powerful cultural movement for people to have more than one job?

 

Some Explanations For The Side-Hustle Phenomena

• Millennials are more entrepreneurial. 
  • There is no reason to assume that there is a personality difference between millennials and previous generations. I do not believe it is a difference in risk-taking ability or personality that makes millennials more entrepreneurial.
• People want freedom of scheduling
  • People are working their 9-5 jobs and doing their side hustles on evenings and weekends. Therefore they aren’t getting more free time because of their side hustle. They are working their regular job + extra work when they are free. Therefore there is not more freedom, there is just more work.

These are wrong!

 

A Common Definition of Side Hustle

People have the entire idea backwards. I did some searching to see what people defined side hustle as. This is from an Inc.com article titled “What Is The Best Definition of A Side Hustle” (I’m not linking it cause it was rubbish).

The article was an interview of Chris Guillebeau, who wrote a book about side hustles. He was interviewed on one of the stops on his 100-city book tour, this was his definition:

A side hustle is not a part-time job. A side hustle is not the gig economy. It is an asset that works for you.

Chris Guillebau’s Side Hustle

The only hustle here is this guy trying to sell his book. I also find it hilarious that this guy’s name is so similar to gullible.

Let’s look at 2 definitions of the noun hustle,

1.busy movement and activity. This is exactly what the wantrepreneurs who are buying this guys book are doing. Busywork instead of doing the hard work that will produce results.

2.a fraud or swindle. This is exactly what this guy is doing by promoting this book. Telling people they can buy a book and make a sustainable income in 27 days is a complete fraud.

Don’t take financial advice from people on 100-city book tours. This guy is teaching people they can get results without putting in the work. This is an idea I have never seen happen in the real world. There is no such thing as a free lunch.

The Real Explanation For The Side Hustle Phenomena

People don’t make enough money in their jobs. This is a reason a lot of people forget, because they lose sight of the forest for the trees. People’s salaries aren’t rising as fast as the cost of living, particularly in big cities. This is particularly true of white collar workers who unfortunately are often very naive about their careers. These white collar employees often think they can just get a degree, find a first job and then climb the career ladder.

These people have been lied to. Following conventional wisdom is how people end up with 100k in student debt and working at Starbucks.

Smart people know there are only two choices – build a network and actively work on professional development, or build a scalable business on the side. Working a job without a backup plan (business to go all in on, or a strong network with connections to find another job in a month or two) is a disaster waiting to happen.

Why would people work two jobs if they had a choice?

The easiest way to understand something it so simplify it.

Would you work a part-time job in the gig economy if you had a career that paid enough, or an online business you were growing?

I have smoked weed on an infrequent basis for my entire adolescence, and I still smoke very very occasionally. I am not ignorant of the effects of marijuana and it can be very pleasant to smoke a joint and relax with friends.

Marijuana Needs Revisiting

There seems to be only 2 positions on Marijuana:

1. The Reefer Madness position: Completely blatant anti-marijuana propaganda. People who don’t understand what marijuana does or willfully misrepresent the effects of marijuana. These are people that tell you Marijuana is just as bad as every other drug, or that marijuana is a gateway drug. You will start with marijuana and then move on to using cocaine and heroin.
2. The “Weed is chill, dude” position: This is the complete opposite of the reefer madness position. These people think marijuana is the ultimate way to understand themselves and the world. They believe if everyone smoked weed, there would be no crime and the world would be a peaceful place.

 

Marijuana was recently legalized in my country and people act like it has no bad effects. It is legal and because it’s natural people think it is harmless to use. This makes it even more harmful, if people are completely ignorant of the effects.

The bad effects are incredibly subtle and people often don’t notice them quickly enough, if ever.

 

Marijuana Makes People Unproductive

The simplest thing is that people never accomplish anything when they are high. But they always think they do! Try this, get high and write down the amazing ideas that come into your head. When you are sober, reread these ideas and you will realize how stupid they are.

I don’t know a single person personally who smokes weed regularly and is extremely productive and ambitious. I know a ton of people whose lives were ruined by Marijuana.

Some people might say “I’m more creative when I smoke weed!”

That’s great, good for you. I’ll explain to you why you think like this.

Weed is Self-Deception. It makes you think you are smart when you aren’t. It makes you think you’re right when you’re wrong.

 

The Subtle Destructive Powers of Marijuana

It is such a destructive drug because of this effect,

This is why Marijuana is such a destructive drug, people who are addicted to Marijuana often cannot admit it because the effects are so subtle.

Someone who is addicted to alcohol or cocaine know they have an issue. They will lie to the outside world, but inside their heads they know they are an addict. In their mind they know how much they want to quit. With weed people have a veil of ignorance.

Marijuana has ruined a lot of peoples lives. Think about why people get so offended when people tell them weed is bad for them.

 

 

 

Self-Deception And Marijuana

I did some research online about peoples overall position on Marijuana

I found an article on debate.org titled “Does smoking pot make you a better person?”

81% voted yes, 19% voted no

People that voted Yes explained why,

 

Makes me happy

“After I toke I feel better about a variety of things I normally wouldn’t care for. I feel like I am more relaxed and makes me less rigid in my thinking therefore I feel like it can be more accepting. I feel like I can see both sides to a problem.”

 

Heightened self awareness

“You call it paranoia, I call it a rush of self-awareness. Smoking weed OCCASIONALLY will make you a better person because it will force you to think about how your actions affect others in ways that you would be incapable of sober (or drunk). Whether or not it will make you happier is debatable, but the improved self-awareness will make you a better person.”

 

Weed and Introspection

“Weed has a variety of effects, most of which are fun and positive. But every regular smoker knows that it can also provoke much soul-searching. Especially when smoking alone, one can become introspective and open up to thoughts and feelings that are normally suppressed. Weed often forces me to consider my current life situation and aspects that I need to change. I think that if you’re a thoughtful person with your heart in the right place, it can help make you better. But I’ve also met many a**hole smokers. If you’re selfish, inconsiderate or mean, weed isn’t necessarily going to fix you. Weed is a tool, and like tools, it can be used to build or to destroy. I personally believe it takes years to learn how to use it in a balanced, positive way. I grew up with it, I’ve been smoking for 15 years and I’m 30 now. And for those skeptics who might assume I’m a scruffy hippie, let me clarify that I am educated at postgraduate level having attended reputable universities. I continue to take short evening courses in subjects that interest me because I believe in lifelong learning. I have a good job, and an above average salary and I am an overall happy person.”

 

Teaches you a lot about yourself and the world

“Anyone who thinks otherwise obviously do not regularly smoke. Marijuana has definitely impacted my personality for the better… I am more open minded, accepting, loving, calm, peaceful, and spiritual. Oh and I have a 4.0 gpa at a state university. Arguments against marijuana usually come from ignorant brainwashed people that believe everything they hear in the media and what their government tells them.”

 

The two reasons people say smoking pot makes them a better person:

a) It makes me happy

Weed doesn’t make you happy you are just under the influence. That’s what drugs do to you. No one would take drugs if they didn’t make people feel happy. Drugs can cause deep issues in peoples life and they often still take them.

b) It helps me be more soul-searching, more spiritual, self-awareness, introspective etc. etc.

This is the argument I absolutely adore. If you think you are more spiritual and understand the world when you smoke weed there may be a massive issue. You should feel like this when you are sober – why does is require drugs to make you introspective and spiritual?

 

 

Marijuana and Buddhism

People often cite spirituality as one of the main reasons for smoking marijuana. Ultimately, marijuana does not lead to self-knowledge. Somehow, some brilliant genius got the idea to start calling Marijuana, “Buddha”. Now companies use their marketing to associate the Buddha with their rolling papers, bongs, etc.

Ultimately, this is the product of 2 things: genius (and unethical) marketing departments, and people trying to rationalize their decision to do drugs frequently.

Buddhists do not encourage and actively discourage marijuana use. One particular example I will use is the views of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the holder of both the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages. He was a Buddhist meditation master and a major figure in bringing and popularizing Tibetan Buddhism in the West. I will share a few glimpses of his views on marijuana.

 

“Much of his behavior has been construed as deliberately provocative and sparked controversy. In one account, he encouraged students to give up smoking marijuana, claiming that the smoking was not of benefit to their spiritual progress and that it exaggerated neurosis. Students were often angered, unnerved and intimidated by him, but many remained fiercely loyal, committed, and devoted.” Source

 

“Then he summoned everyone into the living room and ordered the Pygmies to bring him their dope. I wish someone had had a camera to take a photo of the distraught looks on their faces. One of the Pygmies told me they had just got a big shipment of hashish from Morocco and Rinpoche must have known about it. Anyway, they dutifully brought him all their dope and Rinpoche threw it in the fireplace and said “this is self-deception. It has no place on the path!” Then he lit the whole thing on fire.” Source

 

“Rinpoche told us in the early “70’s, after trying most everything himself without it having much of an effect on him, that we shouldn’t do drugs or grass, “Try ordinary mind instead!”—not that we knew what that was then.” Source

 

Hopefully this puts an end to the myth of stoner spirituality. If you need a way to remember this, think of “try ordinary mind instead” or “this is self-deception”

The greatest impurity is ignorance. Free yourself from it. Be pure. – Buddha

Marijuana and Mental Illness

The science is still inconclusive here. However people who are prone to mental health issues often suffer adverse effects from cannabis use. This is particularly true of Schizophrenia.

Our research demonstrates that cannabis has a differential risk on susceptible versus non-susceptible individuals. In other words, young people with a genetic susceptibility to schizophrenia – those who have psychiatric disorders in their families – should bear in mind that they’re playing with fire if they smoke pot during adolescence.”- Dr. Barzilay source

 

Adverse Effects of Marijuana

There are also many other adverse consequences of marijuana use from the National Institute On Drug Abuse.

Acute (present during intoxication)

• Impaired short-term memory
• Impaired attention, judgment, and other cognitive functions
• Impaired coordination and balance
• Increased heart rate
• Anxiety, paranoia
• Psychosis (uncommon)

Long-term (cumulative effects of repeated use)

• Potential for marijuana addiction
• Impairments in learning and memory with potential loss of IQ*
• Increased risk of chronic cough, bronchitis
• Increased risk of other drug and alcohol use disorders
• Increased risk of schizophrenia in people with genetic vulnerability**

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*Loss of IQ among individuals with persistent marijuana use disorder who began using heavily during adolescence

**These are often reported co-occurring symptoms/disorders with chronic marijuana use. However, research has not yet determined whether marijuana is causal or just associated with these mental problems.