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Hi Zenith Catcher, “If you can’t control it, don’t talk about it. It helps to focus on what is within your control.”
This life principle is presumably one of the most important ones that improved my overall contentment. Quick story… Summer, 2016. At that time, I was 18 years old, testosterone-loaded (still am ;) ), and, for the first time in my life, got in great physical shape. At that time, I played the Instagram rat race of posting stuff that would signal how cool I was. I watched a lot of social media content. Furthermore, I read tabloid press regularly. By tabloid press, I mean the popular newspapers or magazines that focus on sensationalized stories, gossip, and entertainment. I mostly read short, two-minute articles, such as reports about a car accident that happened somewhere or other news items published regularly. Apparently, these articles were mostly negative and did not bring any value to my life, but they were highly dopamine-inducing. Reflecting on these articles, after finishing a two-minute piece, I didn’t know more or less; it felt so empty. There was no improvement in my life whatsoever, whether I knew this or not. Over the next years (2019 onwards), when getting into the self-improvement world, reading books, listening to podcasts, and reflecting on myself, I realized that consuming the news regularly does not better my life at all. Although I feel sorry if something terrible happens, I can’t change it anymore. It already happened. It is in the past. (This is an important point because some people tell you, “You SHOULD also be sad, upset, and panicking around about XYZ.” No, I don’t. I reject this. Period.) So, I consciously decided to quit consuming the news and instead consume long-form content like books or podcasts because the news is something out of my direct control. This had 3 benefits to my life:
Let me elaborate on the last point. When quitting entirely consuming the news, one might ask, “How do I stay up-to-date?”. Good question. I realized that reading nonfiction self-help books about philosophy, self-improvement, stoicism, business, health, and psychology and listening to long podcasts helped me better understand why human beings act and react in certain ways. Thus, I am more up-to-date than ever before. Plus, if something really important is happening in the world, other people will tell me about it. This shift in content consumption also made me realize that when I focus on things within my control, I can be a better and more productive citizen of society. I firmly believe that individuals can contribute much more to society if they eliminate the consumption of “unproductive” content and instead reflect on and improve their lives. This quote by podcaster and entrepreneur Chris Williamson perfectly captures it: “If your body is made up of things you put into your mouth, your mind is made of things you put into your eyes and ears. Your content diet should be spirulina for the soul, not fast food for your amygdala.”
However, I believe the news is not only a field beyond direct impact capabilities. The weather serves as another prime example. If the sun shines or the rain pours down heavily, it doesn’t matter. Quite frankly, I very seldom check the weather forecast because I literally don’t care. Sun or rain, I can be in a good mood. Again, something out of my control. I believe a lot of people would be well served if they cared less about the weather (and I’m not claiming that sometimes, in small talk, I also talk about it) and more about how they could improve their lives to become more useful human beings and make this planet a better place. In other words, they would clean up their room before criticizing the word. To fully drive the point home, please stay with me and read this quote from book author Sabrina Steiner, whom I interviewed back in 2022: “I think I stopped consuming any media around 2018. And yeah, there’s always the argument: “But then you don’t know what’s going on.” Honestly, the things that actually matter to me personally—I’ll know about them. You just do. If something significant happens, it’ll reach me. Beyond that, I have to ask myself: What impact does it really have on me or my behavior if I know that a sack of rice tipped over in China? In the past, we didn’t know that either—or if we did, it was months later when the news arrived by ship. It’s always the question: How much can I actually influence what happens in the world by constantly being aware of everything happening in the world? Can’t I just focus on myself, stay centered, and live according to ethical and moral principles? Isn’t that also a way to contribute to change in the world—without being so influenced that we’re constantly living in fear that… Yeah, I always ask myself, what’s the point of having these political discussions over drinks if we don’t actually act on them? If we’re just sitting there saying—and this is something I’m extremely sensitive to—”Someone should do something,” or “We really ought to.” Well, either do it or don’t. But stop lamenting over a glass of beer.” Conclusion & Action Steps The bottom line is that I discovered that I want to avoid short-form content and the news moving forward. Small change, big impact, more brain power for important stuff. I’ve been doing that for many years now, and I feel great about it. I’ve never looked back. I’m not claiming to be perfect or follow this 100% of the time, but I’m pretty close to the ideal and have learned a few things along the way. If I sold you on this idea of quitting the news, here is a way how to start:
I hope that helps. Have a great start to the week. Let’s rock! Warmly, Nicola PS: I do a podcast (Catch The Zenith) where I pretend to have a Swiss accent (wink). 180+ episodes online about high performance and business. You can subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. This week on the Catch The Zenith Podcast: #186: The Voice in Your Head Is Not You Listen on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or My Website. Inspiring Things This Week:Podcast: Telling the truth can be daunting because the outcome is uncertain when you share your perspective. However, on a brighter note, a remarkable adventure may arise when you express your thoughts. Inspired by this idea, Steven Bartlett and Dr. Jordan B. Peterson engaged in a fascinating conversation about relationships, the drawbacks of porn consumption, and the reasons behind a lonely and sexless society. Jordan B Peterson: You Need To Listen To Your Wife! We’ve Built A Lonely & Sexless Society! Gym Exercise: As someone who loves hitting the gym five times a week, I came across a new leg exercise online called belt squats. I discovered this about one to two years ago. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the opportunity to use this machine for a long time, simply because almost no gym outside of the U.S. has it (at least, that’s what I thought at first). However, I found some gyms in Switzerland and Portugal that have this machine, and I was stoked. My legs were burning, and while squatting, I didn’t have the bar on my shoulders, which is a huge load for my back. Doing this exercise allowed me to fully focus on my legs. If you hit the next leg work out and have this machine available, check it out. Here is a video. Quote of the Week:“There isn’t anything better that can happen to you than what happens if you tell the truth, no matter what it looks like to you in the moment.”
– Jordan B. Peterson, renowned psychologist, author, and online educator Video Recommendations: |
