Caring About Self-Control As A Young Person
I want to talk to my fellow young people. The kind of people who constantly hear voices whisper these:
“You’re young.”
“There are so many years to come.”
“Don’t worry, this choice won’t matter.”
“Let loose and do something fun for once.”
I’ll ask you a question, do you really think that your peers need more hedonism instead of self-control? (Well, hedonism is that gospel that declares pleasure as the ultimate goal)
If you’re honest with yourself, the answer will be no.
I just feel that young people need a different message.
The message that young people need is not one of letting loose and enjoying yourself unconditionally,
It is one of self-control and focus.
Don’t misunderstand me, I am all for having fun in healthy ways and routinely engage in such activities.
But that’s not the mentality that most young people have, they think of fun from a dysfunctional perspective.
Getting blacked out drunk
Party after party
Having unprotected sex
This may be fun in the short term, but not in the long term.
Younger people don’t need to be told that everything will be alright, they need to be told to get their shit together. I strongly believe that everything good comes from discipline.
From a young age, I inherently understood the power of self-control because I observed real-world examples.
I have seen some of the best athletes embrace it. Some of the world-class entrepreneurs that I know live and breathe it. They are quite a few, though.
We all know the difference between somebody who provides little to no value and another who exudes it.
I’m a firm believer that the youth underestimate the power of discipline because they haven’t connected the dots. They don’t understand that with healthy food decisions comes more energy, enthusiasm, and creativity. They ignore the connection between great sleep and less mood swings, sugar cravings, and negativity.
Connecting the dots makes all the difference for those who want to master the art of self-control.
Ignore it, craving enslaves you.
Connect them, discipline liberates you.
What can you do as a young person?
It’s simple in theory, yet difficult in practice.
Your job is to prioritize self-control, and yes, that does mean a rejection of craving for some period of time.
It has to become a lifestyle, and that will always be in your control.
It’s about making wise decisions on a daily basis that move you towards what you want in life.