We're afraid of success

Are you living in your imagination?

December 20, 2021

Hey there —

Most people are afraid of their own success.

Sounds nuts, right? To explain, we need to understand that we inhabit two worlds:

  1. Real

  2. Imaginary

In our imaginary world, we accomplish our biggest dreams. We’re the Broadway Star, the Olympic Gold medalist, the Best-Dressed Blogger. Our goals start in our imagination, and that’s great because that’s where we’re the best version of ourselves.

Let’s say you want to write a book. In your imagination, you’re going to be a NYT Bestselling Author. But for that to become a reality, you have to take the idea out of your head and put it on the page. And things aren’t quite so easy in the real world.

So we start making excuses why we shouldn’t pursue our dreams...

  • "I’m not an expert"

  • "I just don’t have enough time to write"

  • "I don’t know how to find the right publisher"

These excuses stop you from ever having to risk your dream of becoming an author not coming true. If you never try, you can still believe that someday — when the timing is right — you’ll actually sit down and write the next great vampire novel 🧛.

We like to live in the imaginary world because the version of ourselves as a successful author gets to live on as a fantasy forever.

Let’s say you do write the book, and it doesn’t go so well. The dream you once clung to vanishes, and that idealized version of yourself is gone.

We’re not denying that the real world can be a bitter pill to swallow. But permanently living in make-believe land is a lot worse.

It’s the difference between telling yourself, “I tried, and it didn’t work” or, “I wonder what would’ve happened if I went for it.” And while living in the land of possibilities is easier, it’s not what’s best for us.

Life is all about taking risks. It’s about squashing what-if’s and jumping on the road not taken, even if it’s bumpier. Like Roald Dahl once wrote:

“You’ll never get anywhere if you go about what-iffing like that.”

So, get out of your head and into the real world. You might surprise yourself.

Time Millionaires: Meet the People Pursuing the Pleasure of Leisure

Article | by Sirin Kale

For millions of people living paycheck to paycheck, staying afloat financially is a struggle. But if you’re lucky enough to make ends meet, do you pursue more money, or make time your greatest asset?

Introducing ‘time millionaires’, a new movement of people who prioritize leisure over money. First introduced by Nilanjana Roy in 2016, ‘time millionaires’ refuse to commit to the neverending grind for more money. In short: they are hustle culture's worst nightmare.

Sirin Kale’s article sheds light on this new movement, one that celebrates recreation instead of overwork. Because despite society’s emphasis on money, we can’t buy our time back.

A Reasonably Detailed Guide to Optimizing Your iPhone for Productivity

Article | by Coach Tony

Do you have a spare 70 minutes right now? If so, you should take a look through Coach Tony’s deep dive on how to optimize your iPhone for focus and productivity.

Yes, we know. It’s bold of us to assume that anyone’s got an extra 70-minutes lying around. But this is an investment toward your ability to get deep work done. Because for a device that’s built for efficiency, it’s shocking to learn how distracting your iPhone really is.

Coach Tony teaches you to turn your phone into a tool, not a time-waster. Learn to silence notifications, reduce your screen time, and peel away from social media.

P.S. Android User? Not to fear. Here’s a guide by Chris Jennings on how to make your Android a Zen experience.

Earth Wind Map

Tool | by nullschool (Created by Cameron Beccario)

You didn’t ask for this, but you’ll be glad you found it. ‘Earth Wind Map’ is a soothing simulation of all the world’s wind patterns.

Forecast by supercomputers, this visualization of global weather conditions is mind-boggling. You can find us on this website next hurricane season. 🌪

Written by Alice Lemée