#37 The time you’re living anyway

ByLukas

Question: Do you know how old I’ll be by the time I learn to play the piano?

Answer: The same age you will be if you don’t.

Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way

Some skills take years of practice before I’m any good at them. But I’m living those years anyway. And while society and systemic pressure might push me down a certain path, I still have a say in how I spend every day.

Whether I publish a blog post today or not, I’ll go to bed tonight and the sun will still come up tomorrow.

Whether I write every day in the coming 10 years or not, in 10 years I’ll still turn 40.

The only difference: will I feel that my actions were aligned with who I want to be? Or will I feel regret instead?

Some aspirations are worth the time you’re living anyway.

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    If you wouldn’t see overwhelming results in your first 30 days of writing, working out, dieting, or learning an instrument, would you still show up?

    Are you okay with small, almost invisible gains because the process of learning, creating, practicing is fulfilling enough in itself?

    And if not, could you be okay with that, if you knew it was the key to learning or creating anything you ever wanted?

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    #106 Pick your freedom battles

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    Most people don’t really want the freedom to do anything they want, in other words, a life without constraints.

    They want the freedom to set their own constraints.

    To decide, “I want to spend my time writing,” instead of saying, “I am supposed to become a lawyer because that’s what we do in this family.”

    To decide, “I don’t drink alcohol,” instead of saying, “My social circle forces me to have a glass when I’m out.”

    To decide, “I want to live in that house, drive that car, and go on that exotic holiday, and I’m going to make it happen,” instead of saying, “I’m constrained by my talent, potential, current job, or where I grew up.”

    To decide, “I have time to learn a new language because it’s important to me,” instead of saying, “I’m too busy, I can’t (or don’t deserve to) do anything nice for myself.”

    Good or bad, beneficial or misguided, constraints are always there.

    Because life constantly forces you to make decisions, and every decision leads to a new constraint.

    Since it’s challenging to be aware of your decisions and their long-term constraining effects, which constraints do you consider important enough to set consciously (and spend considerable time and effort doing so)?

    Where do you allow others to dictate the constraints you live within?

    Who do you allow to dictate the constraints you live within?

    Pick your freedom battles.

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    #261 A simple way to train your intuition

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    Acting on the first hunch is a powerful move.

    After all, hunches have their basis in our subconscious insights and intuitive understanding.

    While they may not always lead us to the expected outcome, they invariably lead us to swift action and learning.

    Either you’re right and you saved time.

    Or you’re wrong so you can course correct, still saving you time.

    So drink on the first sign of thirst.

    Write on the first sign of an insight.

    Make your choice on the first sign of a preference.

    If it turns out bad, learn and change.

    That’s how you train your intuition – not by distrusting it, but by using and honing it.

    You already know how to do this.

  • #328 Why do you love it so much?

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    Why do you love writing, despite the fact that the act of writing is often a drag?

    Why do you love running, despite the fact that the act of going for a run is often a chore?

    Why do you love learning languages, despite the fact that the act of practicing is often riddled with frustration?

    Why do you love it so much?

    And wouldn’t it feel good to remind yourself of that love every day… so you make sure the love is there to stay?

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