Everything today has been designed in a very particular way that appeals to every human beings survival needs [seeking pleasure and avoiding pain].

It's one of the core principles of economics that makes the world function while advancing society.

As innovative technology continues to appeal to these needs - we have simultaneously created one of world’s most dangerous drug known to mankind:

Comfort

Fact: we would not be here today if it were not for our ancestors will and determination to fight for survival millions of years ago. The exact opposite tendencies of comfort.

No matter the circumstances - comforts are now widely accessible at any time and place.

You want it?
You can have it - in an instant - without having to wait - with little to no effort.

The range of possibilities is only capped by limited imagination while the speed of innovation is on a exponential growth trajectory.

Media, popular trends and algorithms continue to push images and clips of what one must obtain [in order to have this representative state of happiness].

Often times this ever-changing standard is both so high and unobtainable for the masses to keep playing catch up amongst another while the elites are competing amongst each others ego via getting richer by selling to the masses.

The rich get richer while the poor get poorer.

Without this awareness you will be alongside the masses to keep playing the game that was set up for everybody to fail.

However, when you understand the game, you can break the rules to favor your life.

With these dynamics at play [a very settle social conditioning is happening to the point of naivety] promoting non-stop consumerism.

This quiet influence shapes our desires and decisions, often without our conscious awareness, driving us towards an endless cycle of consumption.

It is deemed completely normal…

The surge of dopamine post purchase [of items that conveys elevated social status] trains the mind that this heightened level of feel good sensation can be experienced outside oneself.

Directly communicating to the sense of Self what one lacks cannot be found from the Self.

Everything you seek can be found outside yourself through the means of consumerism.

The Self becomes an internal empty void unable to sustain itself independently through Being and Existence.

Values of internal work and processes loses it’s worth because it does not appeal to the quick fix solution that comes with consumerism economics that cause such high dopamine spikes.

This vicious cycle continues, individuals experience sensations of being completely trapped, stuck in a life situation where they cannot simply walkaway from it due to all the financial energy already invested.

Mortgages
Car payments
Bill after bill
aka sunk cost fallacy [our tendency to continue with an endeavor we've invested money, effort, or time into - even if the current costs outweigh the benefits] kick in…

Combine that with the added fears of the unknown with no signs of slowing down any time soon… this leads to nothing but a trapped life of comforts.

There are quite literally millions of people living society’s idea of “success” at the expense of disguising their choice as practicality… when in reality they sacrificed their dreams.

Quite literally a gold painted prison sentence while handcuffed by comforts - placating to the infinite number of the masses thoughts and opinions - just so the individual can feel good about oneself…

One of the most undeniable truths?

Comfort results to entropy.
Growth exists outside of comfort.
Growth & Comfort cannot coexist.

Entropy often goes unnoticed as the majority are too distracted by the chase for the next dopamine quick fix [exactly like a crack addict so the mind does notice the long term consequences].

Often times those that do wake up from this daze realize it while laying on their death bed when time has almost run out…

But this unfortunate life situation does not have to happen to you.

FREEDOM IN AN UNFREE WORLD

Before we begin I feel obligated to state the following because society values are based on an overwhelming number of narcissistic and vanity metrics highlighted through social media:

I humbling share my life experience below not to boost nor feed my ego - instead the intention is to share nuanced lessons so that others can learn and apply the information into their own lives for beneficial gain [in the past I wish there was someone that I could have directly learned from to speed up my process of embodiment curve].

It’s been over 12 years of traveling the world - being completely location independent - a type of freedom that can be best described as transcendence on top of the ability to socially express oneself [without fear because of the physical safety that comes with training martial arts].

Was it an overnight quick fix purchase?

Absolutely not.

Fact of the matter it was the exact opposite:

Tedious repetitive work that did not come with immediate rewards

The first sign of tangible results began to appear only through years of perseverance and consistency... even then I needed to be trained how to see the right metrics.

It was a self improvement journey that started in 2007 when I felt a sensation known as “the call to adventure” based on Joseph Campbell’s work.

At the starting point, this reality I am experiencing now, was quite literally deemed impossible as it surpassed my wildest imagination.

Even then the first mountain I needed to climb seemed so far out of reach.

My personal definition of freedom consist of these four elements that intertwine providing a holistic embodiment of freedom in life:

• Physical Safety

• Self Expression

• Location Independence

• Accessible Resources

PHYSICAL SAFETY

Social anxiety is a very real sensation that’s tricky to overcome.

It contains many nuance components to perceive it correctly.

Act accordingly then conquer the once deemed “impossible” task.

Firstly, this natural tendency to feel social anxiety originates from millions of years ago at a time our ancestors relied heavily on each other ‘safety in numbers’ for survival during the harshest living conditions.

Social isolation could be a miscalculation resulting in death to you or a loved one, exile from the tribe as a form of punishment if one did not follow social customs, isolation meant vulnerability for attack by neighboring rival tribe and the high possibility of being killed by one of many predators seeking it’s next meal...

Bare in mind this was during a time where verbal language hadn’t been invented yet for efficient and effective means of communication:

Experiencing anxiety was our primal nature’s way to signal a warning death was near so one could flee or fight for survival.

Listen.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong about experiencing social anxiety.

But how an individual responses to this primal sensation can completely transform the trajectory of the human experience if not properly educated on it’s importance.

*Based on my previous experience - the mere thought of a social venue gave me heart pounding anxiety because I genuinely believed I did not belong due to my low self-esteem.

For some bizarre reason, this objective scientific fact was not taught early in life [so a proper response could have prevented us from developing years of false limiting self-belief systems] around a few “bad” past experience that ended up determining an overall life experience.

When you analyze this biologically wired sensation [under today’s social climates] you’ll come to the conclusion that we are nowhere near the extremes from the past that threaten physical safety.

This mismatch of perceived realities results none other than a call to adventure to make a positive change for desired life experiences to occur.

As the mind wants to see proof and not be told false promises - you must collect new life experiences so it can outweigh experiences collected from the past which shape your current falsely held beliefs.

This means going against your automatic knee jerk responses to pause then engage in new behaviors that are aligned to the Ideal Self via self-discipline.

Learn how to practical develop your level of self-discipline step by step for free here: https://www.philosophyofjiu-jitsu.com/p/the-7-tenets-of-self-discipline

There are many areas to apply it to but training martial arts was one tool that significantly improved my self-confidence.

Socializing becoming a very close second.

When you go from training with savages [who know how to apply technique in a lethal way] then enter a room with people who do not know how to fight - despite their perceived social status and physical appearances - it does something to the mind.

SELF EXPRESSION

You see.

When you can be relax during training sessions [where chaos is the norm] everything else lessens its effect onto you, your emotions and behavior.

It’s almost as the body knows if I did not die in the “fight or flight” situations that took place in the training room - why would I worry about other settings that are nowhere near as intense nor remotely physical?

Something huge is happening here:

You are at the cause of your reality, not at the effect of the environment.

It’s a sensation that is best described as having a bulletproof sense of Self.

You express the Self without filters and say exactly what you want as it is nothing but an authentic expression of who you are.

An unapologetic Way of life that is a very liberating to the human experience.

Imagine you are literally music being played to the audience. No matter the response of the audience - you the music still plays completely unfazed.

The environment is the one that is being dictated by you. 

Anxiety completely disappears in any social setting [when you prove to yourself that you will not die when you do X actions] then the beneficial effects continue multiplying with the help of momentum and lifestyle design.

This heightened sensation kicks in when the ancestral wired feelings are present.

It’s a natural high that transcends any substance imaginable.

In my opinion: one of the healthiest addictions one can cultivate to experience the eternal flow state.

Complete freedom from the social chains that currently control the masses due to the distractions that enslave their emotions and actions.

LOCATION INDEPENDENCE

On a micro level - this process takes place in your vicinities - where you have previously exposed yourself to these familiar environments on numerous occasions.

Hence why the “confidence” sensation is felt based on specific situations [this sense of confidence is dictated by the external environment] and is not originating from within.

Develop the internal first so the external compliments it, not replacing the mandatory internal work responsibilities.

This situational sense of confidence is fool’s gold as it’s nothing but a super settle way the ego uses to feel good.

You see.

The moment you are taken to a completely unfamiliar place - let’s say to a new foreign country where you are the minority, unable to read nor speak the local language and do not know a single person.

Now this situation challenges the ego in ways it was unprepared for due to lack of unique life experiences where the overlap is the Self…

What happened?

The Ego cannot exist [needs to grasp on to something to survive] because the external environment is not dictating it’s sense of identity - it cannot cope with non-identification so it becomes a energy vampire using what it can at any means necessary.

True transformation happens staying put in this uncomfortable sensation [absent of Ego] to discover your Being via ego death.

Ego death is extremely difficult to deal with [especially when you experience it for the first time] hence why it feels like the closest things to death and the unknown.

Every single ego death encountered throughout my life [more than I would like to attempt] was a mini death experience that always turned out to be one of the best things that happened for me.

Ego death became a massively positive influential life changing event because of my response to it.

While others allowed the event to become a detriment to their existence - I leveraged the experience to propel myself into an upward trajectory - thanks to self-discipline.

One of my calls to adventures that emerged from one of these mini ego deaths:

Freedom to travel the world indefinitely [without being forced to return back home] nor work for anybody that could control my time and life.

In 2011 - I made a risky decision and faced the biggest ego death to date.

Long story, short.

Although I did not have an income source I knew it was possible to make money online [without requiring my physical presence to be at the job] so with delusional blind faith and optimism:

I booked a one way ticket to my first foreign country overseas.

and 12 years later I am sharing the knowledge gained from such a wild ride…

ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES

Tools, connections, technology, information, and everything in your environment are invented resources designed for you to utilize for beneficial gain.

If you are not proactively leveraging these widely accessible resources responsibly via skill acquisition than you are at a severe disadvantage to those that do capitalize on these incredible life changing opportunities.

Especially the individuals that have access to scarce resources [enabling a significant competitive advantage over you and the vast majority of society that do not have access] proven through their life experiences and tangible results.

The life you live now is a consequence of the Way your resourcefulness.

And this new life you desire requires you to creatively leverage old, existing and new resources to unlock the next level.

Only for you to repeat the never-ending cycle over again as nature requires evolution to survive.

Not engaging in this Way of life eventually weeds out the weak via evolution.

You see.

With the extreme conditions I proactively created for myself [make a crazy “freedom” idea come to life before it happened] required me to step up in a Way that surpassed my complacent life of comforts.

The mere pressure of a situation would change an individual if he/she could endure long enough for transformation and self-actualization.

Side by side that past version of me next to who I am now is virtually under the same evolutionary pressures to evolve into the Ideal Self.

The only real advantage I have now is access to scarce resources that the younger me did not have.

I am immensely grateful and credit my younger self, for without his efforts and bravery, I would not have access to these scarce resources.

Now with these accessible scarce resources will propel the future projected outcomes at an exponential rate.

One thing - I must tell to my future self - reading back at this now…

“I dreamed bigger this time and hope you are really enjoying life even greater than ever before.” - 10/06/24

MINIMALIST WAY OF LIFE

When you remove unnecessary things with the intention to simplify your life… you will find new and profound levels of freedom.

This brings liberty that is deep and personal.

Resisting the addictive urge to engage in lower consciousness behavior stops you from becoming a slave to the dopamine landmines strategically placed all over society.

Dedicate yourself to minimalism over ongoing consumerism.

Minimize distractions so you can focus on the core values that matter to you instead of allowing your freedom to be stolen from you.

The complexities of life choices are winded down to make depth of progress, not meaningless surface layer distractions at the expense of your most desired life experiences.

You enter the eternal flow state where your relationship with time completely changes your experience with reality and meaning towards life while being alive.

To live your life to the maximum where you can experience deep levels of enjoyment requires focusing on minimizing your Way of life so you live according to your core values aligned to your individuality.

After reaching this milestone recently [and still having lived a phenomenal life of my dreams for over a decade prior] I can already tell that this next chapter is only the beginning and things are about to transcend into a entirely different realm in ways that exceed my imagination…

Minimalism is your compass to Freedom.

Choose wisely.

See you on the mats,

POJ