Two modern ideas seem to control my actions or my drive.
"Live here and now" is everywhere. We are constantly reminded that life is now and that you have to live in the moment. And if you are not enjoying yourself there is something wrong and you gotta change it.
It has now become a movement of simplicity and "minimalism".
It also seems to be influenced partly by stoicism. Almost like an idea that life itself is enough and whatever it throws at us, we have to interpret in the right way.
I like the gratitude of this kind of thinking and Marcus Aurelius said it well in many of his quotes:
"When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ..."
"Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself in your way of thinking."
A lot of entrepreneurs also seem to be attracted to this kind of living.
To me that seems like a big contradiction since entrepreneurship involves almost the opposite of the above.
Something more along this way of thinking:
On the other hand you have ambition and the "work hard and you shall reap the benefits" still going strong.
The idea that greatness can be achieved.
It is often accompanied by the idea that it will be tough and you don't get anywhere without hard (and at times unsatisfying) work.
To push your limits and reach as high as you can.
The quotes on this kind of thinking are endless and exhausting.
This is how I have lived my life so far.
Work hard play hard.
Now 8 years since I started this journey I can say that yes it was worth it.
But I might be looking for some balance between the two almost opposite ideas of life.
I love a good challenge. I seek them. I create them for myself.
But I also can't shake the thought of "what if today, this week or this month is my last, would I then do these things?"
Is there even a middle ground here?
I can't clearly picture it right now.
Hmmm...
Maybe something like this:
Where I am right now is a struggle and it is tough at times. It gives me self-respect and pride to pull through.
3 ideas that form a sort of middle ground that I should recall daily:
1. Find joy in all of my life. (Sales work shall become my favourite thing ;) )
2. Steady wins the race. (A sort of calming antidote to the dramatic sense you get when hearing "live as this day was your last")
3. “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.” - Marcus Aurelius (reminding me of what is truly important)