The Backwards Law

The Backwards Law was popularized by Alan Watts, but it actually comes from Tao Te Ching, the 2000-year-old classic Chinese text which became the basis of Taoism. It is the idea that the more you pursue feeling better all the time, the less satisfied you become, as pursuing something only reinforces the fact that you lack it in the first place. 

The more you desperately want to be rich, the more poor and unworthy you feel, regardless of how much money you actually make. 

The more you want to be sexy and desired, the uglier you come to see yourself, regardless of your actual physical appearance. 

The more you desperately want to be happy and loved, the lonelier and more afraid you become, regardless of those who surround you. 

The more we pursue trying to feel better all the time, the more we reinforce this idea that we are fundamentally lacking and irreparable.

Watts describes it as being in a lake. If you relax and put your head back, you’ll float. But the more you struggle and flail around trying to stay afloat, the more you will sink. Thus, wanting positive experiences is a negative experience – and accepting negative experiences is a positive experience!

The Streisand Effect

The Streisand effect is a phenomenon whereby an attempt to hide, remove, or censor a piece of information has the unintended consequence of publicizing the information more widely, usually facilitated by the Internet. 

You get more bang for your buck by being banned. More column inches by causing offence. 

It is an example of psychological reactance, wherein once people are aware that some information is being kept from them, their motivation to access and spread it is increased. 

It is named after American entertainer Barbra Streisand, whose 2003 attempt to suppress photographs of her residence in Malibu, California, inadvertently drew further public attention to it.

Being Present

Your phone has already replaced your camera, calendar, and alarm clock. 

Don't let it replace your relationships.

Meaningful Growth Requires Challenge and Stress.

Six months of focus and hard work can put you 5 years ahead in life. 

Don’t underestimate the power of consistency and desire.

“Never say that you can't do something, or that something seems impossible, or that something can't be done, no matter how discouraging or harrowing it may be; human beings are limited only by what we allow ourselves to be limited by: our own minds. 

We are each the masters of our own reality; when we become self-aware to this: absolutely anything in the world is possible.


Master yourself, and become king of the world around you. 

Let no odds, chastisement, exile, doubt, fear, or ANY mental virii prevent you from accomplishing your dreams. 

Never be a victim of life; be it's conqueror.” ~ Mike Norton

Java

“Even bad coffee is better than no coffee at all.” - David Lynch