Short and Smart
Life is ALREADY short. If you don’t build up your mind, you’re cutting your mental life even shorter by letting your brain die.
Of course, it’s hard to think of it that way—society teaches us that making the “most” of your life means DOING the most, achieving the most, or having the most to SHOW. And in terms of “showing off,” most people would choose a Bugatti over a bookshelf.
Because if you can’t SHOW that you’re making the most of your life, how do you KNOW?
Fluff vs. Foundation
Sometimes it seems like our mental life is invisible. And…well, most of it is! It’s like the foundation of a house: it’s not made to be showcased, but it holds everything up AND anchors it to the ground, keeping it in place.
Actually, the foundation of a house would do a pretty bad job of keeping the house in place if it was above the surface instead of below. Depth is the key to a strong foundation.
But we’re taught not to deepen our foundations—on the CONTRARY, we’re told to spread ourselves thin. We think that we have to buy newer things and work longer hours, because if we don’t focus our energy outward and upward, we’ll miss out.
What are we afraid of missing out on, though? The approval of others? The likes on our profile picture? The experience of life?
Mind and Matter
Well, let me tell you the #1 THING you need if you want to experience life.
You need a brain that functions in PEAK condition. So that when you go on a trip, you can understand and appreciate the history of the location, or the unique plants and animals, or the cuisine that you’re tasting for the first time. So that you can enjoy not just the epic, luxurious moments, but the quiet ones where nothing much happens EXCEPT what’s going on in your head.
So that you can have real conversations with the people you love and the people you meet, and form lasting bonds with them.
Practice Makes Person
When you practice learning, you practice so much more. And the things you practice become the person you are. So take time to practice the habits that make a PERSON:
– Practice keeping your mind open;
– Practice listening;
-Practice reflecting;
– Practice patience;
– Practice Investing (time, energy, money, etc.);
– Practice changing.
Every time you learn something, you become someone else—someone wiser, more well-equipped than a moment before.
You practice discipline, critical thinking, and memory recall. You practice focus. You practice honesty with yourself: what are you curious about? What are you passionate about? What are you WILLING to spend time on? You practice humility and keep your brain alive when you admit, “I have no idea what I’m doing! BUT…I’d like to learn.”
