I'm starting over

[bobobsen]

Chronically being on youtube kills my soul

[jonbrouwer]

To fight being terminally online, I've been carrying a small pocket notebook. Whenever I want to check my phone to distract myself, I grab the notebook instead. I write down thoughts and observations, or read what I wrote before. It's great!

[ebunny]

I like how a lot of self improvement YouTube is basically telling people to not just be watching self improvement stuff on YouTube.

[helenbrown]

Thank you for talking about this. The internet has become so intense it’s actually alienating. The algorithms are absolutely aggressive, they’re not designed to help, they’re designed to keep people’s attention as long as possible.

[MS-]

I've reinvented myself multiple times. It is better than getting stale. You do good and much-needed work, though I think you're right about videos and passivity.

[dylanrumbolt]

Here's a quote I got from a Chris Williamson (modern wisdom) episode and I think it speaks volumes to what you're saying.

Here is a list of things that are not doing the thing.

“Preparing to do the thing isn't doing the thing.

Scheduling time to do the thing isn't doing the thing.

Making a to-do list for the thing isn't doing the thing.

Telling people you're going to do the thing isn't doing the thing.

Messaging friends who may or may not be doing the thing isn't doing the thing.

Writing a banger tweet about how you're going to do the thing isn't doing the thing.

Hating on yourself for not doing the thing isn't doing the thing.

Hating on other people who have done the thing isn't doing the thing.

Hating on the obstacles in the way of doing the thing isn't doing the thing.

Fantasising about all of the adoration you'll receive once you do the thing isn't doing the thing.

Reading about how to do the thing isn't doing the thing.

Reading about how other people did the thing isn't doing the thing.

Reading this essay isn't doing the thing.

The only thing that is doing the thing is doing the thing.” — Strangest Loop

[JillBusby]

Everyone needed this reminder. Everyone will need this reminder again. Thank you.

[DavidWolf]

This is real. Youtube helped me quit drinking and drugs. I feel blessed that we have such easy-to-access self-improvement videos and content. But I noticed that I became stagnant. I stopped those habits, but moving forward with new ones took me forever. That is the key: consume the content and then create your life. Great video.

[JDLambright]

I'm 45 and just finishing a 3 year journey to earn my first degree, and start a new career. I have had to overcome many health and family issues that were major roadblocks in my life to get to this point. Despite being "behind" in life due to my circumstances, I feel like now is truly my time to do something really meaningful with my life. I have many ideas for novels and short stories I would love to get published, and am interested in starting a YouTube channel focusing on my health journey and recovery after an organ transplant. I just need to get off my butt and do the work! Thanks for all the great videos and inspiration up to this point, and good luck with your new house and small town life!

[JayFriedrichs]

New house tour ASAP once you get all settled in !!!! looks awesome!

[cappytalysm]

A couple years ago, you made a video about how to stop procrastinating. The first (?) suggestion you gave was to eat the frog, and that has resonated me so consistently ever since that moment. Sometimes all it takes is someone saying the same thing you've always known in the right way to get yourself off your butt and actually do it. That same exact day, i decided I wanted a TV in my room so I could play my Switch at night without disturbing anyone. I started the long process of cleaning my entire room. It had been building up in crap for over 10 years, and i could only access my bed through the path i carved through the knee high piles of old papers, old toys, and literal, actual trash. I was raised in a home where this was normal, so i never thought anything of it. Roughly two years later, i have my own computer, half of my closet is dedicated to my new hobby of painting, and I am doing everything I can to get my entire family to start the process of making the house better. It really does only start when it starts, and while i recognize that your words kicked my ass into gear, it wasn't because they were some unforeseen truth of the universe, it was because they were the truth I had always known.

[eioia]

People are lost, they need purpose and contentment to actually work. This is the truth that everyone needs to know that purpose is what you are lacking. Find a purpose and it will fill you and you will be able to actually work and get into action.
Tips and advices are not going to help if you don't have a purpose, do's and don't's and instructions will not help if you lack a purpose.

[cmanotesimportan]

i am going to stop watching youtube videos for 1.5 years and wish me luck

[billmyer]

I've been following your suggestion of stepping outside first thing in the morning, light stretch, feeling the air on my sin, listening, being thankful for a new day and a fresh start.. Absolutely love it; it's been about 2 months now. Walking helps clear my head, too. Speaking of which... time to put the phone down... I appreciate you.

[PotatoCouch]

dude even if you dont upload a lot. i always find myself coming back to you for advice. thank you for all you do. (And also a thank you from my friend ^^)
i started taking a daily walk around my block and I learned a lot of life lessons by just walking. One of them is: Get out in nature if you feel isolated, restless and/or worthless!!!!

[Technique]

I am dead from inside. I am just spending my days in autopilot.

Spend past 6 years working hard, opening businesses, persuing love, working on myself--} All failed. Now I am just a zombie.

[clarkkegley]

Always appreciated the honesty in your content. Love your message, bro 💪

[wakeupfastneo]

I used to get sick every week on Mondays for about 3 months. My dumbass started noticing the pattern too late.
You see every sunday I went to the beach and swam.
Sure enough when I checked online, the beach contained half of the city's shit.

[mariahspapaya]

This is pretty much exactly what’s been going through my mind lately and I even made a mental note of this today. My new ways of my procrastinating have taken a slightly more socially acceptable turn; obsessing over other mundane things like cleaning or organizing or doing “executive tasks, always ruminating and feeling overwhelmed almost 24/7 how much needs to be done, keep daydreaming new ideas or putting off the real creative projects I’d like to start. I have so many ideas and interests, it’s hard to stay on one task or focus on one thing. I think I’ve created this mental block where I convince myself that doing anything else outside of my comfort zone is a “waste of time”. I’m so hooked to my phone and although I try to convince myself that most of my phone usage is me learning new things, researching, etc it’s really just completely hindering me and overloading me with mostly useless information. I end up feeling burnt out and completely scattered and the only thing I feel capable of doing at that point is doomscrolling. Then the cycle continues. I’ve been telling myself I need better habits for months and I’ve felt stuck for awhile. I think this is my sign I need to get a solid grip before my life truly passes me by. The reality is, there will never be enough time for other pursuits if you dont make enough time for it or truly prioritize it. The scarier it is the more intimidating it is to just start somewhere. I don’t need anymore tools or advice, I just need to show up for myself.

[CarolBlake]

I've actually added yoga, meditation, and reorganizing my house to my daily rituals (I'm 3 days in), so I'm not sitting 95% of the day working on my book. Better late than never.