I’ve been thinking of ten ideas for two weeks now thanks to James Altucher
How To Become An Idea Machine. It’s not been easy. But it gets easier. And some days ago I challenged a coworker to list ten of his life changing decisions. Of course I had to make my own.
A) Move your body
I used to be fat and sit inside playing computer games. Wishing I had an more exciting life and a girl to fuck. I did that for a long time. A new friend found me and helped me just by taking walks with me once a week. Just once. It wasn’t certain I would go out with him and his dog. But he showed up for me. And I got out for a walk. Later he would take me to the gym. I went a couple of times. But didn’t stick to it. I wasn’t ready for the change. Years later I’ve had a enough of myself. I said “I will go to the gym at least three times every week and run every day off.” And I did. It only took me two months of doing this while stop eating proccesed food and snacks to lose a lot of weight. I said to myself “this is what I’m going to do however I feel.” Just do this every day and every week. The results came without thinking about them. Though it wasn’t easy. Some days I had headache. Or I was tired. Or crying. I still went and followed my plan. Just by showing up every day.
Try it yourself if you aren’t already. You will feel proud of your body. Others will see it. Feel it. Try lots of different things to find something you like. And go do it every week.
B) Downloading others brains, to your brain
I rarely read growing up. I enjoyed other things. Somewhere I heard about fantasy. Maybe from my cousin. I enjoyed the tales of a man being powerful out on adventure. So I began reading that. I loved the idea of being powerful. Being bold and charismatic. I read that for several years before I started reading other things. About three years ago I began to understand how powerful reading is. This is thoughts another man have written down. And share his whole life experience into this single work. He might have built his passion for ten years or longer. Writing all his knowledge in to something you can read in a week (or day). You know that scene from “The Matrix” where Neo downloads martial arts to his brain? Reading books is downloading others brains, to your brain. And practicing your reading skills will let you download it faster and retain more. I felt bad about my reading for a long time. Said to myself I was reading to slow. And put off reading things because it took to much time. To much effort. I didn’t know I could read faster. But I started searching about it. It turned out to be a simple problem to fix. I was slow because I was reading the words out loud in my head. Once I started to pace myself with my hand I got less distracted. More focused. And began to read faster.
>> The basics of speed reading.
- Use your hand as a pacer over the words.
- Focus softly with your eyes above your fingers.
- Move it a bit faster then your usual reading rate.
- Move at a constant rate without stopping or backtracking.
- Don’t pronounce the words in your head.
- Practice it always.
C) Write your thoughts
It helps you remember more. You learn more by taking notes. It feels good. Everyone I’ve met says they would like to write more. I tell them just do it. If you have “writers block”, write that you have it. Write it again, and again. Write it until you get bored and write about how bored you are. Continue writing every thought you have, whatever it is. If you feel stressed or happy. Write it. Even if you feel like it’s useless drivel. Write it. The more you write, the more you learn. When I started out journaling it was making boring lists of my day. I still wrote it. After awhile I began to see how boring it was. And how dull it was writing it. Then I began to write more in story form. To make it more fun for me to read it. And I began to develop story telling. And that helped me becoming a better story teller talking with friends. Because I had a better understanding now of what is something exciting to read. And I just realized this is rather boring to read. But that’s fine. I’ll make it better next time.
If you are running a loop in your head about something. Write it down. Whenever I have a thought that keeps coming back. I write it down. Often it goes away like magic. Or you begin to form an idea how to solve it. You should try it.
D) Sell your TV and video games.
I used to be a huge game addict (still is). Mostly because I didn’t know how to be social. And I didn’t have much support system at home to develop it. At seventeen something I really began to loathe my situation. And years later I began to get my health in order by quitting games. Started working out and eating better. Quitting my computer games have made a huge difference in my life. It challenged myself to be bored. To free time for my other passions in life. I wouldn’t have all these awesome mentors in my life, from the books I read or blogs I follow. I wouldn’t have this blog.
I have to watch myself. When I feel overwhelmed, tired or uncertain. My brain tells me “ah Johan just sit down and play for awhile. It will be fun.” No it won’t be. And jokes on you brain, I’ve sold my console and only got a laptop now!
Before I sold my games I had to struggle not playing games. It was a struggle. I began to sell off my games that I didn’t use. Then I sold my favorites and kept the party games for friends. Eventually I sold everything. The minute I left the store I had felt a huge weight lift from my shoulders. Now the struggle was gone. It felt great and scary. Because now I didn’t have the comfort of coming home after work, to kill a few hours with video games.
It challenges you to be bored. We are rarely bored today. Actually we are constantly bored and pick up our phone whenever we are. Trying to excite our brain with the latest Facebook feed, likes and cat pictures. Try this. Stop yourself whenever you feel like picking up your phone. Just take a deep breath.
See what happens if you sell your TV and video games. Let yourself be bored for awhile. Listen to your brain after it’s done complaining. You will be rewarded by new thoughts and new experiences.
E) Eating consciously.
We all want to be nice to animals. They should have a fair life. So lets treat them fair by letting them live a decent life, then slaughter them. How fair is life being in a farm or factory waiting to die?
And we describe in detail what kind of meat we like and what parts of it is tasty. How to cook it. What parts to throw away. I’ve done it.
I became vegan to improve the environment. Example, raise a pig and you eat it, you have food for 50 days. That’s sounds like a lot you might say. But if you instead eat the food yourself. You now have food for 500 days. Think on it. At first I was okay that we have animals in factory’s. But two months later I began to doubt it. Now I’m disgusted by it. Because you can live a great life with lots of great vegetable foods.
F) A part of all you earn, is yours to keep.
Two years ago I was lost and didn’t know what to do and hated my job. Today I have the savings to quit my job if I want to. That is such a huge difference to being stuck in a job with no exit. Seven years ago I read “The road to wealth: First $100.000 in seven years” (Vägen till ekonomisk frihet: Första miljonen om sju år). At the time I struggled to save while working a job and having a girlfriend. I failed. Two years ago I had no savings after eight years of working. Last year I was into building my stock portfolio earning 8% a year. But realized how limited that is. That it would take me over 20 years to reach financial independence at my current savings rate. At a dull job.
This year my focus is creating value for others. In multiple ways. To be able to free my time. Spend it how I want to spend it. Not be bound by a single income and workplace.
How did I manage to save more now then before? Broke up and moved out from my girlfriend. Live by myself to find my values again. Sold my TV. Watching less commercial. On TV they have awesome shows with action, big cars, million of dollars, young babes. During the commercial they show various things to buy. That creates a need in your body. That is unconscious but very real. Recently I’ve had this feeling of less worth if I see a big star. Or a nice car. It’s stupid, but there it is.
Sell your TV and see what happens.
G) Quit watching porn every day.
I used to feel girls owed me sex. While being in bad relationship. That wasn’t so healthy.
It’s just like playing video games. Ask yourself why you watch/play. Then figure out if this is what you truly want. Probably you want more out of life. But don’t know how to achieve it. Or you begin to understand what you want. But it’s scary doing new things you’ve never done before. “If you want something you’ve never had. You have to do things you’ve never done.” When I was 18 I was living at home. Playing computer games and watching other guys fuck girls on my tiny screens. I was so sick of this but kept on playing because I didn’t know how to be that guy. I knew I had to do something but was so stuck in my routine. My room. It was really hard to get out of. But not changing was worse, I had to do it. I found why I needed to change. And knew what I wanted to do instead. I began a habit I could do every day that brought me one step closer. I wrote it down and keep it with me when it gets rough. And just repeat my habit everyday.
Now I’m out of the bad relationship and rarely watch porn. It’s though getting out of it but worth it. It will give you more energy in everything you do. You will be surprised how much passion you will regain. You begin to stand taller. You begin to seek eye contact with others. You begin to see all the options you have or about to have. You begin to notice girls when your out. Many of them are just waiting for a confident guy like yourself. Waiting to be asked out on coffee right now. Try it.
H) Give something back.
I love helping others. I love improving others life. It makes me feel like I’ve made a difference. It could be anything from cooking a nice dinner for friends. Coming up with new ideas together. Helping them with projects they have. Helping them connect with others.
Start with helping your family or friends with your passion. Help your neighbors or join a group. If your passion doesn’t have a group, start it. Create a blog or YouTube channel. Write and film what you want to share. It will make you feel great helping others. And you will improve your own life by getting a deeper understanding of your passion.
I) Sleep
For the past fifteen years I’ve averaged about five hours of sleep. Why? Because I’ve neglected it. Now I’ve changed my evening habits. Exercise after work. Dinner at six. Write and read after dinner. Close my computer at least 30 minutes before eight. By putting my sleep first I’ve noticed what a difference it is to get four or eight hours of sleep. Even six hours is low now. It’s easier to come up with new ideas when you are well rested.
J) End bad relationships
I was in a really bad relationship for years. It started out great. With lots of sex and time for my passions. But somewhere I lost my self and began to give to much off myself. Giving up my passions. Doing stuff for her expecting things in return. We became friends who lived together. Would cuddle in bed but nothing more. It was really bad. Since we broke up I’ve done more things for my own enjoyment. And I feel much better.
K) Take action every day towards your passions
I write every day. Some days I write a lot. Other days I make a list and journal some of my day. But every day something. I know by experience that whenever I do some small thing every day. I feel better. Just one thing everyday helps building my habit. I make it my priority to do this one thing. And then I’m free to do other things. And by making it small It’s easy to get it done. And if I feel like it, I will continue doing it.
Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the things I have to learn. For example when I really just wanted to get a good body. A girl. Earn money while I sleep. It sounds simple (or very hard). But usually it follows with ten other little small things that needs to learned and maintained. Have faith that it will get easier. Every little thing you learn compounds to a grander knowledge. Learning how to prepare healthy meals follows you for the rest of your life. With it you can cook for your family, friends. Open a business. With it brings dedication. That you will accomplish your goal every day.
Try to Challenge yourself and do what is uncomfortable to reach your goal everyday.
Some day you will realize that you now live your dream.
What are your ten life changing decisions?