We must come to terms with the fact that we will not be fully satisfied with instant pleasure. Pleasures like fast food at the touch of button delivered to your door with the only effort required being the walk from the couch to the front door, social media in which entertainment and novelty is provided in abundance just by swiping your finger on a screen, binge-watching television, pornography and ‘hook-ups,’ shopping in which a reward is only a click away. All of these pleasures can be rewarding and used in moderation but the problem is that we expect the reward before we’ve put in any work.

Don’t indulge before you’ve done anything to deserve it

The reason why we’re not fully satisfied with these instant pleasures is that they require minimal to no work in order to experience them. The times when we are most satisfied is when we’ve put in some form of work, when we actually deserve a reward. Don’t indulge before you’ve done anything to deserve it.

Be completely and harshly honest with yourself when deciding whether to indulge in instant pleasures or not. Think about every time you’ve felt proud of yourself, you’ve felt fulfilled or like you have a purpose. Chances are these feelings weren’t achieved by sitting on the couch binge-watching television, eating junk food and masturbating, both literally and psychologically, all day. Chances are these feelings occurred following some effort, some struggle, some work. You climb a mountain and gaze at the landscape. You finish a run and feel proud. You write a thousand words. You read a thousand words. You make your bed. These all have the potential to provide rewards far more fundamental than the rewards achieved through not achieving anything.

Keep On Struggling,

Gregor

Documentary I Enjoyed - Like a Rolling Stone

This documentary charts the career of writer and rock-journalist Ben Fong-Torres. He is partly responsible for Rolling Stone Magazine’s meteoric rise to becoming one of the most popular cultural magazines in America. Through his unique interviewing skills and professional mindset, he became friends with some of music’s biggest names such as Jim Morrison, Elton John and Paul McCartney. Watch Like a Rolling Stone on Netflix now.

Film I Loved - Air

This movie charts Nike’s courting of Michael Jordan. Before Air Jordan, Nikewas not competitive in the world of basketball and this movie shows the incredible risk that Nike took to make the very first Air Jordan shoe leading to Nike becoming the most popular basketball sports-shoe brand and contributing to the cultural icon Jordan would become. Watch Air of Prime Video now.

Your Struggle Short For The Week

This is a new feature of the Struggle for Meaning Newsletter as well as my Instagram and YouTube channels. I’ll be posting short clips or ‘shorts’ that will hopefully motivate and spark new mindsets.

WATCH HERE

Quote to Ponder

I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road” - Stephen Hawking

References

1) Rolling Stone Image - IMDB

2) Air Image - IMDB

3) Image Credit - RawPixel