Why the Future Doesn't Matter

Hey Friend,

Today, I’m sharing an insight I gleaned on (again) living with less stress and anxiety over the future.

I’ll be repeatedly reminding myself of this one to ground myself in moments of doubt.

I hope you find it as valuable as I did.

Let's get into it.

My Fear

I have a problem: I'm afraid.

I'm afraid of things “not working out.”

I'm afraid that I will disappoint my business’ clients, lose my freedom, and live in mediocrity.

I've been afraid for a while.

In my first two years of university, I had a goal to be earning enough remote income to live abroad.

If I didn't achieve this goal and had to get a "real job", I imagined I would be miserable and have "failed".

The good news?

I did it. I'm living in Bali right now and will be likely living in Central/Southern America (at least part time) soon.

I have a digital advertising agency that makes me enough to do so and things are generally on the up.

The bad news?

I'm still afraid.

Instead of fearing not achieving financial/locational freedom, I'm afraid of losing it.

I'm afraid of failing to get results for my clients, losing the income and getting a normal, in-person job.

Let's refer to lifestyle #1 (digital entrepreneurship) as the "high life" and lifestyle #2 (9-5) as the "low life."

Why Should You Care?

Obviously, you care because you’re a great friend and value my well-being (thanks!).

But you should also care because it’s not just me.

My particular circumstances might be unique, but I am certain you have your own "high life."

It could be keeping your job, your relationship, or anything else you value.

There is a future that you want, and one that you don't.

One that feels meaningful and desirable, and one that doesn't.

And if you're like me, even if you get the future you want, you'll worry about losing it.

You'll worry about it shifting to the future you don't.

That you'll lose the things you value. Have to do things you don't.

The thing is: No amount of working to achieve/keep the life you want will get rid of the fear.

So what will?

The Magical Solution

The solution is to realize that you can live a noble and meaningful life regardless of what happens.

In Man's Search for Meaning (mentioned in last week’s letter), author Viktor Frankl outlines three paths to meaning: 1) active creation, 2) passive enjoyment and 3) suffering.

Active creation means working on something that you value.

Passive enjoyment means observing things like art, beauty, and nature.

But sometimes, as in the Nazi concentration camps he found himself in, these aren't available.

He noticed that some prisoners believed this meant a meaningful life was impossible.

But he realized that is not true.

He realized that even in immense suffering, he could live with meaning if he bore his suffering with dignity.

This means that even when external circumstances condemn you or me to the "low life," all is not lost.

There is always a path towards meaning. Life cannot strip it from us.

I find this immensely relieving.

It means that even if I lose what I have worked for (money, freedom, health), I can still live with purpose, meaning, and drive.

There is nothing that can take away my will towards a virtuous life.

This is an internal locus of control, not external.

It means there is nothing to be afraid of, because no person/thing can take it away.

It means I can do my best while knowing that even if I fail, life will go on and I can continue to live virtuously in another way.

It means that even if you lose the things you hold dear, you can find fulfillment and meaning in something else.

There is always another way.

I need reminding of this, as I often get caught up in a certain vision for my future.

It helps to remember that there are many paths to happiness - not only the ones I've had presented to me so far.

Conclusion

That’s it.

I hope this insight gives you the same relief as it does for me.

If you can’t tell, I'm in an uncertain phase in my life right now, and it's easy to fear things "not working out."

Realizing that all I desire is to live a virtuous life, and that there are many ways to do so, helps reduce this fear.

Here's to fearing less.

As always, if anything in this email piqued your interest, shoot me a reply. I’d love to chat about it with you and see if we can’t both grow a little wiser.

Until next week,

Much love,
Ryan

P.S. Favorite Discoveries

What I'm reading:

In addition to Man’s Search for Meaning, I’ve been plowing through Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich. It’s a self-help classic, but I’ve never actually finished it.

In one sentence: Choose ONE desire you want above all else, be very specific, and then pursue it relentlessly without ever giving up.

I’ve been reflecting on what my “one desire” might be. No clear winners yet, but it will likely be wealth-related.

Two favorite quotes:

“One of the main weaknesses of mankind is the average man’s familiarity with the word ‘impossible.’”

And…

“FAITH is the starting point of all accumulation of riches.”
- Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich

What I'm listening to:

#295 I had dinner with Charlie Munger by Founders. What do you know? Another Founders episode. I’m listening almost exclusively to the Founders podcast right now. Part of my efforts to maniacally focus on entrepreneurship.

This one is a great compliment to last week’s letter on grandpa wisdom.

Charlie Munger is definitely a wise old grandpa, and this episode does a great job interweaving the author’s insights from the book The Tao of Charlie Munger with a multi-hour long conversation they had.