Life in modern society can often be a marathon of conformity. We are taught from a young age to follow rules, to obey the system, to conform to certain standards or to aspire to certain ideals just because “we have to”.
“Believe and do not doubt”
The painful truth is that this race to conform to what is wanted for us (caution: what is wanted, not what we want) turns us into slaves of our own lives.
We end up making decisions conditioned by “what should” just because that’s what someone decided it should be.
Modern society shapes us in subtle and sometimes not so beneficial ways. It encourages us to impulsively consume, follow trends and follow rules. Unfortunately, one of the most obvious symptoms of this manipulation is found in the current education system, which instead of promoting free and critical thinking, focuses on conformity and repetition.
Is it intentional? Many would say yes. A society full of impulsive consumers who cannot think critically is an easy society to control. In this way, it becomes easier to sell products, ideas and even false realities.
But the choice to escape from this mad race is in our hands. Choosing yourself means, in this context, developing your ability to think critically, to not take things for granted and to refuse to be manipulated.
The education system as we know it needs a radical transformation. We can no longer continue to cultivate conformist minds, we must encourage creative, free, critical thinking.
We must come to value not only academic results, but also personal development, the spirit of initiative, the courage to think differently.
“Don’t let school interfere with your education.” – Mark Twain
A society that indoctrinates its youth to be stupid and impulsive is a society that is self-destructing. We cannot progress as a society unless we value our most precious resource – our mind.
We are entering a game that we did not choose, but which seems to be the only valid one. And what we do? We accept the rules, even though we didn’t make them. We work in places that we don’t like, but that we “must” have. We buy things we don’t need but that we “must” have.
“School teaches you how to choose a career, not how to choose your life.”
“Education is what remains after you have forgotten everything you learned in school.” – Albert Einstein.
And so we become slaves to our own lives, haunted by a constant sense of unease, as if we were prisoners of an invisible cell.
The truth is that some of us are prisoners, but not of an invisible cell, but of our own mind. We have become prisoners of fear, of inaction, of conformity.
Our society, intentionally or not, indoctrinates us to indulge in this slavery. We are encouraged to be stupid, to consume impulsively, to live mechanical and meaningless lives.
“Don’t forget to buy your happiness!”
This is the slogan of the consumer society. A society that feeds its members with illusions and false dreams, and puts them in an endless pursuit of material goods, social status and validation.
But there is a way out.
A path that begins and ends with you.
You have to choose to choose yourself.
What does it mean to choose yourself?
Choosing yourself means rejecting conformity and rebelling against this indoctrination machine. It means turning to real learning, critical thinking, and free exploration of the world.
Choosing yourself means refusing to be a mere consumer and becoming a creator. It means refusing to live a shallow life and aspiring to a truly meaningful life.
Choosing yourself is essentially choosing freedom. The freedom to think, to dream, to create, to live. Don’t let society dictate what you should be. Choose to be yourself and follow your own path, regardless of the opinions and expectations of others.
Choose yourself and you will discover that, despite everything society tells you, you are enough. You deserve happiness, success and fulfillment. You deserve to be chosen. So, choose yourself, every day.
In his book “Choose Yourself”, James Altucher explains this concept through a new approach to life. Choosing yourself means giving yourself permission to live life according to your own rules, to value your own talents and passions, to learn from your own failures.
Have you ever tried to live by someone else’s rules? Have you tried to fit into a mold that doesn’t fit you? Then you know it’s not a pleasant experience.
Why?
Because each person is unique and has their own path in life.
“Every morning when you wake up, you are the supreme judge of your own life. Your own decisions and no one else can determine whether or not you are successful.” – James Altucher
Choosing yourself means taking responsibility for your own life. It means to stop being a victim of other people’s circumstances or decisions. It means choosing your priorities wisely and pursuing them with determination.
Choosing yourself means making time for personal development and cultivating your talents. It means choosing to live a life that reflects your values, not those of others.
Have you ever chosen not to do something just because others might criticize or disapprove?
It’s time to let go of this fear.
Choosing yourself means exposing yourself to criticism and disapproval, but knowing that the opinions of others do not define you.
“I have always preferred the madness of passions to the wisdom of indifference.” – Anatole France.
Choose to live each day as if it were your last. Choose to enjoy life’s little pleasures. Choose to be grateful for everything you have. Choose to follow your dreams and passions. Choose to take risks. Choose to fall in love with life. But above all, choose to choose yourself.
When was the last time you chose yourself?
When have you made a decision based on what you want, not what others expect of you?
If the answer is “a long time” or “never”, then it’s time to change your approach. Remember: the only person you can control in life is you.
Choose yourself and the rest will follow.
“My own philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but you make your life infinitely more difficult if you live under the guidance of what society thinks you should be, instead of being yourself.” – Ellen DeGeneres.
Some ideas from the book Choose Yourself by James Altucher
“The world is changing. No one comes to hire you, to invest in your company, to sign you, to choose you. It’s up to you to make the most important decision of your life: Choose yourself.”
“Build a house by laying a solid foundation: building physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health.”
“Success comes from continually expanding your boundaries in all directions – creatively, financially, spiritually and physically. Always ask yourself, what can I improve? Who else can I talk to? Where else can I look?”
- “In this new era, you have two options: become a temporary employee (not a horrible choice) or become an artist-entrepreneur.”
- “Rejection—and the fear of rejection—is the biggest impediment we face in choosing ourselves.”
- “Just think about the people you like. Only read the books you like, that make you happy to be human. Only go to events that make you laugh or fall in love. Only talk to people who love you back, who are winners and want you to win too.”
- “The only skills you need to be an entrepreneur are the ability to fail, to have ideas, to sell those ideas, to execute and to persevere so that even if you fail you learn and move on to the next venture”.
- “Pretend they were all sent to this planet to teach you.”
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