I really hope
that this video will not
be relevant for long and that
we'll be back to normal ASAP.
In the meantime, I'd like
to use this opportunity
to share my thoughts and
perspective on some useful habits
and things to do during this
mandatory self isolation.
If you're interested in
building better habits
and becoming the best version of yourself,
make sure to hit that subscribe button.
We're only getting started.
During this time of great crisis and lack
of social interaction, it's easy to forget
about the importance of enjoying
the present moment without
any external stimuli.
It's possible that you're
in front of your screen
right now saying, "But,
humans are social animals."
Well, that doesn't mean
that you should be reliant
on others for satisfaction,
fulfillment, and happiness.
It might seem unnatural
to you at the moment,
but you really should be able
to enjoy the present moment
even if you're sitting in a room
with no entertainment, no
sound, and no other people.
In the western world, for the
past millennium we've heavily
invested in improving
technical aspects of life,
mastering architecture,
technology, building
very efficient societies
with high living standards.
But we've gotten so lost in this pursuit
that we've allowed ourselves
to compromise our consciousness
and let countless
thoughts fully occupy it.
So we keep thinking,
every moment of every day,
you're thinking about millions of things,
and in many cases not even
being aware of the fact
that you're unable to simply observe
your thoughts and let them pass by.
Meditation is a gateway
to a real life superpower.
Practicing meditation consistently will
significantly improve
your cognitive abilities
and improve your satisfaction
of the present moment.
It will make you more grateful
for everything you have.
I'll make a separate video
about meditation, so make sure
to subscribe to my
channel to see that video.
If you're watching this
after April 15th of 2020,
then you can find the link to
that video in the description.
In the meantime, however,
I'm linking to a video
by the neuroscientist Sam
Harris, where he explains
the benefits of meditation for your brain
and how to actually do it properly.
If your objection is
"It's just not for me,
"I can't block my thoughts,"
you're doing it wrong.
If you learn how to do it properly,
it will change your life.
We live in a fast world
where we set foot onto a path
and we rarely look back or at
all, at all the possibilities.
This is a good time for self-reflection.
Where are you headed in life?
And can you do better?
Can you design a life for yourself
that will make you more fulfilled?
I've been a dedicated follower
of reverse engineering.
That means figuring out
exactly where you want
to go and why, and then planning out
the steps you need to take to get there.
A big part of this is setting
up a system of routines
and habits that complement this purpose.
But, you need to know where you're going.
As a big part of this question,
I recommend to people,
"Self Authoring" by Dr. Jordan Peterson.
You've might have heard of
Jordan already, but I'll provide
a quick explanation of how his
Self Authoring program works.
Keep in mind that I've got no financial
motivation to recommend this program.
But, I have used Future
Authoring previously
and found it very useful and gifted it
to numerous people I've met
over the past few years.
And, Future Authoring is
the only part of the program
that I've used, but I do
recommend checking out
the others if you feel that need as well,
they're a part of the same package.
Future Authoring is based on
asking very specific questions
about your life and your answers reveal
your thoughts about what you want in life.
Then you'll make a plan
for the next three, five,
or 10 years of your life
and then you'll map out
the steps and tasks you need
to complete to get there.
While the program has been shown to work
in a Dutch study where dropout
rates have decreased by 15%
and the collective GPA
has increased by 10%,
I recommend this program
to you because I've seen
the benefits of it in my own life.
The program will help
you build a framework
that will guide you to your higher purpose
and I can't recommend it more.
Link is in the description.
I hear so many people
complain about not being able
to learn a language because
they don't have the time,
well if you're bored, you've got time!
It's all about figuring out which language
you should go all in on and making a plan.
Some piece of advice,
it's always good to choose
a language that you actually enjoy.
Learning a language takes massive effort
and long-term dedication
so choosing a language
that you dislike will
prove to be very difficult,
no matter how much of a
financial upside it could be.
Depending on which language you decide
to go for, there are different ways
to approach the language learning process.
In my case, I'm learning Spanish.
I'm using Rosetta Stone for immersion,
Memrise for vocabulary and also reading
a book called "Madrigal's Key to Spanish."
Rosetta Stone is a paid platform.
If you're interested in a free
language learning platform
make sure to check out Duolingo.
Memrise uses spaced repetition to enhance
your vocabulary and I
couldn't recommend it enough.
It's a freemium app that
comes with existing programs.
A completely free alternative
to this is Anki, and you can
also find existing flashcards
and decks for it online.
I use Memrise because of
their great user interface
and because they gamify learning.
Rosetta Stone, Duolingo
and Memrise all have
many languages available
on their platforms,
so regardless of which
language you wanna learn,
I highly recommend checking
these platforms out.
Learning a new language also
allows you to start immersing
yourself in entertainment
in that new language.
So when I turn on Netflix or HBO
and watch films and TV shows,
doing so in Spanish means
that I'm doing more than just chilling.
I'm being entertained, but I'm
also learning the language.
Hey, it's a decent hack!
It's always a good time
to pick up a new skill.
Especially if you've been thinking about
becoming certified in a specific skill,
but it just wasn't a
priority for you before.
Well, now's your chance.
I've been using Coursera.com
for learning and I've got
my first certificate over
there as well, just last week.
Now, you have to pay to
enter a certificate course,
which should be in the ballpark
of $50 to $90 I believe,
depending on the course.
But, courses with no
certifications are completely free.
You can also check out platforms
like Udemy and LinkedIn's Lynda.com.
My Coursera experience was
very enjoyable and it mostly
consisted of animated video
lectures and some reading.
Go have fun and get your
skills and certificates.
To sum it up, our current global situation
is providing a different perspective
on our time, relationships,
goals and wishes.
But even in times like these,
you shouldn't let yourself be bored.
There's so much joy out
there for you to experience,
and it's only a few clicks away.
Once our world is back to
normal, you'll be able to say
that you became a better person
in every sense of the word.
So, stay at home, stay
healthy and good luck.
