Why Self Improvement is Ruining Your Life

Featured in this video:

[CaptainSinbad]

An absolutely beautiful video man. It's only this year where I feel much less driven by goals and much more by relationships.

[djordjegligorijevic]

Self help content is basically a two edged sword. If you are really at low point in your life, self help book can definitely help and motivate you, but if you constantly read those kinds of books, it is literally a never ending cycle.

[InnerResearcher]

I want to be honest with you because this video touched me deeply and made me reflect even more on what I kind-of already knew. I'm a productivity machine. I work full-time in a creative job, part-time i'm getting my Bachelor's, I wake up at 630 and meditate, workout, and read before starting work at 9. I have a youtube channel, i have online classes, i'm learning the guitar, i'm writing articles that are being published. Yet... I don't feel happy. I always feel like I need to do more. My boyfriend has a full time job and does a bit of consultancy on the side during the week, and on the weekends he sleeps until 10-11 am, spends time with me, and games with his friends. And he's so damn happy. I get upset about this and really triggered, and have for months, because I realise seeing how happy he is by doing so much less than me makes me realise how much of my worth is attached to productivity. He legit will game for like a whole day and it always upset me, but I've recently realised it upsets me because he's doing something that brings him so much joy while interacting with friends. I don't have that... everything that I do feels like a means to an end, to get better, to improve myself, to achieve more. I legit don't have a hobby that I do just for the fun of it (even the books I read are for 'personal development') This video really hit home. THANK YOU Nathaniel. Much love to you

[shylieart]

This is literally the mindset I’m trying to achieve right now- life is not about “productivity” it’s about living and being in the moment.

[jbnpxjc]

"I absolutely want to get more out of life, but not in an optimized, calculated, ones and zeros sort of way. There is nothing productive about my entire existence because in a billion different scenarios, I always end up as a pile of dust"

[fashionguru]

"You cannot find external solutions to internal problems." As someone working in the mental health field, I really appreciate you saying this. We are trained NOT to tell people how to solve their problems and live their lives. We help people as they figure that out for themselves. Life coaches, gurus, self help books always tried to prescribe a solution, but the real answer is one that you discover for yourself.

[dik]

I feel so disconnected with everyone, even though I’m seeing people everyday ( I’m a barista). I crave connection, true friendship, and to be understood. There’s definitely a giant hole in my life that no amount of self-help will fix. Focusing on bettering myself has definitely helped, but having meaningful relationships would mean so much more.

[medtown]

This is a masterpiece. The productivity culture makes us care so much about result, that we forget to enjoy the process. We forget that in the end experiences marks your life way more than money or completed to-do lists

[DanHammonds]

The pursuit of self improvement is a constant affirmation that you're not good enough. It took me most of my life to realise that my obsession with self improvement books, videos and "gurus" was the reason I had been lacking confidence and self esteem.

[menafam]

"i think success, is going through life with an open heart..."
-Nathaniel Drew 2021

best quote of the year

[yashaivanov]

It’s extremely interesting to observe how “self-improve” channels start to criticize and rethink everything that they have produced!

[AB]

"Don't let a mad world tell you that success is anything other than a successful present moment" - Eckhart Tolle

[candylies]

I recently came across the idea that chasing productivity and always looking for the next achievement to check off your to do list is like playing the notes of a song without feeling the music. You can hit all the right notes but without putting in feeling, the music will still sound empty, like something is missing. The same happens with life.

[afri]

is it just me or this year i don't feel like being productive, i just feel like doing nothing, just chill? even though my brain is still programmed to be productive and find my way back to being productive, deep down i just don't want that anymore.

[ellylumen]

I don't think you will ever read this but I just wanted to share that this video made me cry. I''m in a stage in life where I feel so lost and have no goals and feel so lonely. Just wanted to say thank you because its making me thing on how i am perceiving productivity and trying to live life and not just exist.

[TakeBackYourMind]

In my opinion the best first step of any self help journey is accepting yourself, flaws and everything. You might want to improve your life, but you're not broken and you don't need fixing.

[YesTheory]

This was great Nathaniel 🙏🙏🙏 can’t wait to share more of our trip

[VerenaSatriani]

" I want to live a rich life in term of meaningful experiences and relationships." This is what I actually need.

[susslife]

Self-help is not about fixing, it’s about unlocking. It’s the key to a door that’s closed for most of us. It honestly changed my life.

[YaelScience]

The logic of constant improvement and productivity is entrepreneurial and if it is applied in personal life you become alienated.