Only the PARANOID survive

Let me tell you about a way of thinking that GUARANTEES YOUR DEMISE.

The notion that: “Once I get to point ‘x’ in my life I can chill.”

Are you crazy?

As soon as you stop improving anything in life, it deteriorates rapidly.

To escape an average existence you should always be paranoid about who is coming for top spot.

If that is too much pressure for you. That’s okay, but don’t ever expect to excel at a top level in any industry.

Consider this:

You build a large sum of money from your job and get to a point of early retirement.

Nice right? You have the car, the house, you’re chilling.

You put your feet up and decide - that’s it I no longer need to work.

Besides the obvious fact that you will no longer be making money you lose other things too…

Do you not think your body and mind will crave the challenge you had worked so hard at to get to a stage of chilling?

Do you think that ambition you once had just disappears?

Yes, you will have free time and money but the mental costs will drive you crazy.

Why do you think CEOs like Elon Musk become serial entrepreneurs?

When you taste success once in life YOU GET ADDICTED.

Can you ever chill?

Well…not really.

A better way to approach things would be to find a skill or project that requires unobtainable MASTERY.

That is true fulfilment.

A life spent in pursuit of a meaningful goal keeps you humble and healthy.

The Japanese have got it spot on in this area of life. They focus on their Ikigai:

Imagine a life where retirement is something you dread.

That is an incredible position to be in.

You no longer work with the underlying attitude of: “I’m only doing this because I have to.”

That is true purpose.

Be present in your daily challenges and develop a clear vision of what you want to get out of life.

Remember, if you don’t pick a path, you will be assigned one by someone else.

As always, keep growing and take care.

Yours kindly

Matthew Harris

The owner of Kaizen Motivation