If happiness can't exist without sadness, success can't exist without failure.
It is a universal law. A pattern of reality. A phenomenon that has been around since the first sign of life, because something can't exist without nothing.
I'm living this quest in my journey. These 12 rules resonate.
"Because most people have been tricked into thinking they want "freedom." Absolute freedom is synonymous with absolute chaos. The only reason you think you want freedom is because you're living by a set of rules you didn't create."
People want autonomy, not freedom. They want the limits they set on themselves, not those externally imposed.
Interesting take, Chris. Though I’d argue autonomy can’t exist without some foundation of freedom. You need enough freedom to choose your own limits before you can call them self-imposed. Absolute freedom collapses into chaos, agreed, but absolute constraint collapses autonomy altogether. The sweet spot: freedom as the raw material, and autonomy as the craft of shaping it.
The definition of freedom is the ability to act, think or speak without hinderance or restraint. So I'd agree with Veronica that freedom is the foundation of autonomy. Freedom is willful devotion. It's the choice to who or what we give ourselves over to. It's why Jocko can say things like discipline equals freedom. Those words seem like their in opposition when really they're linked.
It's wild to me that at 25 I have actually already learned every one of those things. Something clicked in college and slightly after that I learned to embrace everything you just mentioned. However I've never seen it all succinctly in one place before. Thanks for that. I'm saving this so I have a singular sound board to return to for all these big thoughts in my head.
Oftentimes the vision of change and the process of change are much further apart than we anticipate, and that can be very off putting for some.
The concepts here are true now and have been true for centuries, but we have found it increasingly hard to actually put them into practice.
In a world with so many options, to choose one path and stick to it is true strength.
But what’s stronger?
To recognise that the path no longer serves you and to pivot away from that path, even if it means retracing some of your steps.
It is never too late to reinvent yourself. Yes, it will hurt more than you can prepare for, but the beauty of being human is - you can and will get through it anyway.
It seems like this is the frame of perception needed to facilitate everything else in life.
It's the foundation that allows everything else to fall into place. Without it, we're just chasing shiny objects with no idea of why. It's the transition from outcome orientation to true process orientation.
I can't express how much I needed this letter at this point in my life. Thank you!
Absolutely, fantastic.
Mistakes are nature's compass.
If happiness can't exist without sadness, success can't exist without failure.
It is a universal law. A pattern of reality. A phenomenon that has been around since the first sign of life, because something can't exist without nothing.
I'm living this quest in my journey. These 12 rules resonate.
Thanks,
Daniel
A blueprint for a fulfilling life.
Amazing work here Dan.
"Because most people have been tricked into thinking they want "freedom." Absolute freedom is synonymous with absolute chaos. The only reason you think you want freedom is because you're living by a set of rules you didn't create."
People want autonomy, not freedom. They want the limits they set on themselves, not those externally imposed.
Interesting take, Chris. Though I’d argue autonomy can’t exist without some foundation of freedom. You need enough freedom to choose your own limits before you can call them self-imposed. Absolute freedom collapses into chaos, agreed, but absolute constraint collapses autonomy altogether. The sweet spot: freedom as the raw material, and autonomy as the craft of shaping it.
The definition of freedom is the ability to act, think or speak without hinderance or restraint. So I'd agree with Veronica that freedom is the foundation of autonomy. Freedom is willful devotion. It's the choice to who or what we give ourselves over to. It's why Jocko can say things like discipline equals freedom. Those words seem like their in opposition when really they're linked.
Dan always delivers. Thanks for this.
It's wild to me that at 25 I have actually already learned every one of those things. Something clicked in college and slightly after that I learned to embrace everything you just mentioned. However I've never seen it all succinctly in one place before. Thanks for that. I'm saving this so I have a singular sound board to return to for all these big thoughts in my head.
Be careful, changing your life does not automatically mean it will be for the better.
Oftentimes the vision of change and the process of change are much further apart than we anticipate, and that can be very off putting for some.
The concepts here are true now and have been true for centuries, but we have found it increasingly hard to actually put them into practice.
In a world with so many options, to choose one path and stick to it is true strength.
But what’s stronger?
To recognise that the path no longer serves you and to pivot away from that path, even if it means retracing some of your steps.
It is never too late to reinvent yourself. Yes, it will hurt more than you can prepare for, but the beauty of being human is - you can and will get through it anyway.
This one was beyond timely for me. Thank you, Dan! Somehow you manage to organize my thoughts for me.
"Man is the only animal for whom his own existence is a problem which he has to solve." - Erich Fromm
This reminds me to the book of 12 rules of life from J Peterson. You can do your own version !
Perfect!
Thanks for the beautiful message
Brilliant.
I need to figure it out. I need to figure it out.
Mistakes are nature’s compass
It seems like this is the frame of perception needed to facilitate everything else in life.
It's the foundation that allows everything else to fall into place. Without it, we're just chasing shiny objects with no idea of why. It's the transition from outcome orientation to true process orientation.
Love it Dan, thanks for sharing!