Everything Starts With YOU
Most people will spend their entire lives waiting for someone else to fix their problems. Their boss to give them a raise. The government to make better decisions. Their family to finally understand them. Society to become less toxic.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: they're all going to die waiting. 💀
Through my own experiences and by watching people around me, I've come to a realization that might piss some people off: everything starts with YOU.
I became a big believer in personal responsibility.
Our society has taught us in recent years to develop a victim mentality where it's socially acceptable to blame everyone around us for what's going on in our lives.
We are the results of our experiences. Some things are out of our control. But despite this, I think we have more power than we think (and that society wants us to believe).
We have the ability to take back control.
The problem is that we easily put everything happening to us in the "out of control" category. It's more convenient. It's easier to deal with it this way.
However, that doesn't help us in the long run.
If you want the life YOU truly desire, you need to understand that everything starts with YOU.
Why Your Brain Keeps You Trapped
Here's what's actually happening in your head:
Your brain is consistently rewiring throughout your life, creating new pathways. When you're young, these pathways are created by an environment you have very little control over. Once you become an adult and finally have more control, those pathways are so strongly established that they become hard to disrupt.
You become trapped, living on autopilot. You become a result of your environment and feel powerless.
It doesn't have to stay this way.
The science is simple: what you consume influences your thinking, your thinking influences your beliefs, your actions, your desires, your behaviors. Change what you consume, you change your thoughts... and with time you change everything else down the chain.
By making deliberate changes in what you consume, both mentally and physically, you can create new pathways that will transform multiple aspects of your life.
Anyone can start making changes with a few simple steps. It's mainly free, you'll reclaim precious time, and you'll feel better fairly quickly. 🚀
What You Consume Shapes Who You Become
Everything comes from what's going on in our heads. Change your thoughts, the rest will follow.
Your thoughts are influenced by what you consume and who you spend time with. So start there. Cut everything that doesn't serve you. Be ruthless. No more excuses. No more "yes but."
Cut the news:
They are designed to create fear. They only talk about the worst of what's going on in the world. They do not represent reality AT ALL.
Cut social media:
The algorithms are just too good, they suck us in for hours. They invest billions to make us addicted, with the best experts in neuroscience. The only solution to avoid mindless scrolling is to simply get rid of them. At minimum, delete the apps from your phone. Better yet, delete your accounts. Create as much friction as possible to avoid easy scrolling.
Note: if you need access for business, use a scheduler or make it as cumbersome as possible to avoid scrolling (unfollow everyone, for example).
Cut 50% of entertainment:
Netflix's algorithm is designed to keep you hooked. Suddenly your weekends disappear watching entire seasons. Log out of Netflix so it's harder to access, or better yet, cancel the subscription entirely.
Go through your YouTube subscriptions and unsubscribe from creators that aren't fueling your growth.
Replace with intentional consumption:
Practical swaps you can make today:
Replace your scrolling habits:
Replace social media posts with newsletters or blog posts on your phone (Substack, Medium)
Start reading just 10 pages of a book daily instead of scrolling
Transform your commute & downtime:
Listen to audiobooks or podcasts during commutes instead of music
Swap Netflix shows for educational YouTube videos (there are incredible channels for any interest)
Change your morning routine:
Charge your phone in another room, when you wake up, take a few deep breaths instead of grabbing it immediately
Replace morning news with quality content that actually helps you grow
What you physically consume matters too. Food, drinks, everything else, they all impact your energy, vitality, fatigue, and sleep quality. They all impact how you think.
Avoid junk food, regular alcohol, and excess sugar. Try to eat 80% real food. Your body and mind will both thank you.
You'll quickly see a difference... and if you don't, people around you will.
By changing what you consume, you'll start thinking differently. It will impact how you speak, what you talk about, how you behave. The ripple effect can be very powerful! ✨
But What About...?
"I need news to stay informed": If something important happens, people will tell you. You'll hear about it. Most news brings zero value to your life.
"Social media is how I stay connected": We connected before social media, and we still can. Exchange phone numbers or email addresses. Use WhatsApp or Messenger with people you actually care about. The truth is, you can live without seeing highlights from 1,000 people you follow.
"I don't have time for all this": You'll be surprised by how much time you get back when you cut all the junk you waste time on every day!
Everything starts with YOU.
You are the result of your environment and what you consume.
By focusing on these changes, within 30 days you'll see a drastic shift in your life. 📈
Become aware of what you consume, both physically and intellectually. Both actively and passively. Clean it all up.
It'll be annoying at first. Uncomfortable sometimes. But if you can tap into that discipline for 30 days, you'll reap the rewards.
Your mood will change. Your thoughts will change. You'll have more clarity on everything. By switching from junk content to quality content, your mind will expand. You'll see opportunities you never knew existed before.
How do I know? I lived it.
Before this path, I didn't question anything in life. I was fairly racist, homophobic, intolerant. I was curious, but I didn't use this curiosity to grow as a person. I focused on checking the boxes expected from me, following along without really thinking. I never thought alternative lifestyles or being my own boss were options.
Then I moved to a new continent in 2017, new circle of people, new culture. I decided to explore. I totally changed my environment and everything I was consuming.
The result? I'm now a much better human, open-minded, traveling the world and helping other people. I'm a completely different person than I was at 30 years old. 🌟
If you keep going, this little experiment, completely free, can be life changing.
I'm curious: what's one change from this list that you're willing to try for the next 30 days? Hit reply and let me know, I read every response. ✉️
I'm a completely different person than I was at 30 years old - me too, Jeremie. I totally agree it’s all about personal responsibility. Whatever the situation, you don’t have to believe you are a victim. When we reach adulthood, we become responsible for the decisions we make.