Manifesto

I am not a self help content creator. I cannot give accurate advice without at the bare minimum knowing everything about your situation. It is concerning that few admit this simply truth.

However I appreciate that other perspectives can be useful. So I am listing the "rules" that I live by. This will change, and they may not apply to you.

Mentality/Thoughts

• Your biggest enemy, in most cases, can be found either in the mirror, or in your head.
• Accept some things cannot be controlled.
Consider their impact, but don't try to change them.
• Accept that some people are assholes, but most are not.
• One truth doesn't make all other experiences a lie.
Don't fall for confirmation bias.
• The idea you shouldn't think about the past or future much is flawed.
You can learn from your past, and planning for the future makes it easier to deal with when it becomes the present.
• Significant amounts of time daily should be spent soley focused on the present.
Whilst you should think about it, there's a point where continuing to think about the past/future is no longer helpful.
• Humans are setup to want continious improvement. Do not forget what you have achieved so far, and accept you may never be truly satisifed.
There's a reason why most rich people get richer and richer despite having everything they could ever want. It's the same reason why you may continue playing a game even after beating your highscore. Try to remember how far you have come.
• We all have thoughts we do not like. Allow them to happen, acknowledge them, and get on with life.
People with OCD are often told to not fight obsessive thoughts, and instead simply acknowledge them. Fighting something requires you to think about it. The only true way to not think about something is to not care.

Behaviour

• Nothing changes if nothing changes.
Insanity is doing the exact... same fucking thing... over and over again expecting... shit to change. If something isn't working, do something different.
• Go outside. Don't get trapped.
The internet, even basic search engines, places you in a echo chamber in an attempt to maximise engagement. It can easily make everything seem worse than it is.
• It's on you.
Besides maybe a long term partner, there is no one on this planet looking out for all of your interests. Friends probably look out for many, but they aren't likely to help you with major childcare needs, job/house moves, and other major personal issues. Advice is good, but only you can really make a decision.
• Luck is only as powerful as your ability to use it.
Those who take advantage of lucky situations get ahead, those who are in lucky situations and fail to take advantage go on to believe they never get lucky. To be fair, some people will indeed never get lucky.
• Knuckle down.
You and your partner, if you're together long term, need to be able to shovel through shit to get eachother to where you want to be. You both signed up for it by being together. If you're alone, then you have to shovel through shit to get where you want to be - the only way out of that is death.

Life Choices

• Work to have a life, not the other way around.
Whilst you should do whatever you need to build the life you want - once you have it, enjoying that life should be your priority. Not working to make things even "better".
• Almost no companies give a shit about you. Don't give a shit about them.
Job hop if it gets you better pay. Always be ready to leave quickly if layoffs are inbound. Always have an updated CV and understanding of your industry.
• Sometimes a decent paying job or affordable housing requires you to move, this is especially true if you live in a rural area. Buckle up and do it.
There is no other option now. Your parents will die one day. If there's no job paying enough to live where you are, then you will need to leave.
• Usually, NO ONE knows what you need to do next more than you do, unless they know literally everything about you and are a professional in the subject.
No one online can tell you what you should invest in, what your next job should be, what house you should buy, and so on. If you need advice in these things, hire an expert.
• ALWAYS know your rights in common situations, the workplace being the obvious example.
• ALWAYS join a union, even if no one in your workplace has.
At the least, you have a legal hotline you can call for advice if you think your workplace is breaking the law (and chances are you WILL encounter this in your lifetime)

Finances

• Hoard as much as possible.
The more your do, the earlier you can retire, and that should be the ultimate goal. Hoarding key assets like housing is immoral as that reduces supply of something people need to have a decent life. Pick things that don't matter, like stocks, gold, or just straight cash instead.
• If you have no need for something, you don't need it.
You can need things for leisure - Ie, I need this model to complete this consist on my layout vs just collecting many models for no apparent reason. The former has an end goal. The latter will keep spending forever.
• That holiday, or stupid thing you want to buy, will almost never make you happy long-term.
I'm not saying never have fun, I'm saying if doing the same/similar fun activity several times doesn't make you happy long-term - it's a waste. A lot of people use holidays and pints to cope with terrible jobs - the actual solution here is a new job!
• Buy used whenever practical.
It's cheaper, simple as that. If something is critical to your safety though, then maybe think twice.
• It is surprisingly easy to be ahead.
Zero debt by itself puts you ahead of the majority of people in most Western Nations. 10K of savings will put you well ahead.
• You should spend the bare minimum on things that'll no longer exist after being used.
Food is the best example. Eat well, but limit eating out.
• Spend money according to use.
There is no point in buying something high end just to use once a year. The vast majority of Iphone users don't need one.

Notes

• Site created