Why I live a simple life

Hi Zenith Catcher,

One lesson I have learned repeatedly over the past few years is that if you want to achieve success of any kind, it’s conducive to live a simple life.

Why is that?

Success requires energy, clarity, and focus.

And the more you introduce complexity into your life, the less energy, clarity, and focus you have to deploy.

By complexity, I mean engaging in multiple hobbies, learning various instruments/languages/sports, and consuming an excessive amount of podcasts, videos, and content creators.

The point is that if your life is chaotic, your goals may suffer because a prerequisite for lofty targets is an extraordinary amount of the 3 components mentioned above.

Relationships can also add complexity, especially if you have a high-maintenance spouse. In other words, a partner that drains energy, focus, and clarity.

Now, what can I do instead to reduce complexity and live a simpler life?

• Diet: I try to eat the same thing every day. I’ve got 3-5 meals in my repertoire that I mainly eat.
• Shopping: I bulk buy essentials to avoid frequent errands.
• Wardrobe: I’ve got a very small wardrobe. I wear mostly black and dark blue clothes.
• Gym: I mainly do one sport, i.e., hitting the gym 5x per week.
• Small Apartment: I prefer renting a small studio because it requires fewer chores and cleaning efforts to maintain.

You may think that this approach is very extreme.

But I would counter this with Sam Altman’s quote: “Extreme people get extreme results.”

And Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer’s quote: “you can’t be normal and expect abnormal returns.”

To achieve the extraordinary, an unbalanced life is needed.

Plus, being comfortable with boredom.

I saw many people like Panda Express founder Andrew Cherng, who did one thing for a very long time until they became so good that nobody could ignore them.

It’s almost inevitable (unless you’re not that smart) to do one thing, for a very long time, and not become at least a bit better.

I’m not saying doing one thing and saying NO to everything else is the happiest existence, and you are feeling great all the time (note: anyway most people when they claim they want a happy life they actually want a meaningful life because knowbody wants to be happy 24/7, all the time, since this is many times a quite impulsive state).

What I’m saying is that extreme success requires abnormality.

Most successful people are boring. They’re not well-rounded, they don’t have 10 hobbies, they just got really good at one thing by giving it all their time, energy, and attention.

In other words, want to achieve success?

Strip your personal life down to the essentials. Energy, clarity, and focus are your fuel. Boring = rich.

Much love,

Nicola

PS: Share this article with your friends here.

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Catch The Zenith Podcast

I do a podcast where I pretend to have a Swiss accent (wink). 200+ episodes online about high performance and business. You can subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

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This week’s episode:

Episode 213: Most people are told to be nice. Harmless. Play it safe. But what if that’s the worst advice you could follow in a brutal world In this episode, I dive into why it’s better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war. Inspired by Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, I explore what it means to become a monster. Listen here.​

Next week’s episode:

Episode 214: Why do some succeed while others don’t? Expect to learn the number 1 thing I observed in hyper-successful people. Goes live tomorrow here. ​

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Things I’ve Learned This Week:

1. The 4 types of safety a woman wants from a man (learned from Adam Lane Smith):

1. Physical Safety
   • Protection from physical harm — historically from predators or enemies, now from danger or even the man himself.
   • She needs to feel physically secure in his presence.
2. Resource Safety
   • The ability to provide or manage resources like food, shelter, or finances.
   • Even if she contributes, she wants to know he’ll step up when a crisis hits.
3. Emotional Safety
   • The freedom to express her thoughts and emotions without fear of anger, judgment, or instability.
   • She wants a man who listens with respect, responds calmly, and doesn’t blow up.
4. Bonding Safety
   • Consistent signals that he is emotionally and biochemically bonded to her.
   • This includes affection, romance, warmth, and reassurance he won’t abandon her.

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2. A lesson learned from Dr. Jordan B. Peterson:

“What is the antidote to the suffering and malevolence of life?

The highest possible goal.

What is the prerequisite to pursuit of the highest possible goal?

Willingness to adopt the maximum degree of responsibility—and this includes the responsibilities that others disregard or neglect.”

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