Why You Should Take Life Seriously
Time is Your Most Precious Resource, Don't Waste it on Things That Don't Matter
You’ve likely been given this piece of advice at various points in your life; “Don’t take life seriously” or “Don’t take yourself too seriously.”
There are a few different ways we can interpret this…
“Don’t let failure or humiliation rob you of life’s joy.”
“Take things in stride.”
“Don’t worry excessively or overthink to the point of inaction.”
“Remember to enjoy the little moments with friends and family.”
“Laugh when things go wrong.”
“Don’t let your emotions get the best of you.”
I understand the sentiment.
But ultimately, life is finite. You only get one shot at it.
Let me tell you, it is absolutely necessary, that you take life seriously.
If you don’t, time will slip away.
And trust me, the pain of regret weighs heavy on the soul.
If you’re reading this, you are probably a writer, an aspiring writer, or just intellectually curious.
In a world where most people are scrolling through Instagram or Tiktok, you are reading this article on Medium or Substack.
What you choose to do with your life, how you spend your time and who you spend your time with, are some of the most important decisions you can make.
The majority of people don’t keep this at the front of their mind or merely accept their situation.
Discover what you’re passionate about. This will require you to explore different things until you uncover what makes you tick.
If you don’t know what you want, the majority of your time should be spent figuring it out.
Without a goal, and a somewhat cohesive map on how to achieve it, you will be at the cruel mercy of life.
Until you figure out what your thing is, you need to be passionate about becoming successful. This will at least put you into gear.
As vague or as strange as this sounds, do important things.
Take the responsibility of pursuing goals that are potentially impactful.
Care about making a difference. To your family, friends, community, society, and the culture.
But this is only half of the equation. This alone will not lead to a good life.
You need values.
Values are crucial, without them, nothing else matters.
Without a strong value system, without principles, you become a slave to false values and idealogies.
Honesty, integrity, courage, wisdom, and loyalty, are all values you should strive to instill within yourself and in those around you.
Regardless of what our culture deems worthy of praise, having values will steer you in a meaningful direction.
I know this sounds weird but this is important. You should care that your name lives on after you die. For the right reasons of course.
Don’t chase fame or infamy for its own sake. Focus on building a legacy.
I know, everyone will be forgotten at some point. But having an impact for years or generations to come is a worthwhile goal.
Learn to recognize how valuable your time is, and get mad at people who waste it. They are your enemies.
Avoid trivial matters, such as gossip, petty disputes and hedonistic pleasures.
Anyone who would laugh at you for trying or talk down on you, is of no consequence.
Those who’ve been where you are, or want what you want, will understand. If they’re operating in good faith, they’ll get you.
Learn to think of yourself as a serious person. Earn and demand respect.
Be that person who most people are afraid to be.
Be the guy in the arena of life. Become a player in life’s game.
Don’t settle for passion or money. Chase both. Figure out a way to intertwine them.
It’s okay to want to be somebody. To want your name to echo through the halls of the cultural landscape.
Loyalty, courage, honor, respect, excellence, discipline and conquest, are what makes life worth living.
Take it seriously.