KEEP THE OLD WARM

“The brave man is he who overcomes not only his enemies but his pleasures.” – Democritus

Let us focus on pleasure as a quick and easy escape from pain, a temptation that encourages excuses.

We all want to achieve our highest goals and aspirations, find love, achieve purpose, etc.

Standing in the way of that are not typically large, threatening enemies, but rather our daily, hourly, momentary pleasures. They are the subtlest enemies of all.

Law down, relax. Put on the TV. Have a drink. Stay in bed. Eat the fast food. Get high. Don’t call or text that person back. Go on social media. Watch porn.

These are the things that keep us from achieving our dreams because in the moment they seem so entirely harmless. But taken in aggregate, over time, thousands, millions of small pleasures translate to 10,000 hours of time we could have spent mastering a useful skill, working towards our highest goals, etc.

See the small pleasures not as a clear and threatening enemy, but a small, sinister, whispering enemy IF THEY COME WHISPERING BEFORE YOU DO YOUR WORK.

Pleasure is necessary in life, but reward yourself with them. Do not succumb to excuses and drink the small, subtle poison that are the daily, hourly, momentary pleasures pulling you away from your dreams.

Work, then relax. Not the other way around.