One Life, Heroes & Villains, and an Ancient Chinese Farmer

What's up world - we're still getting snowed on up here outside of Pittsburgh.

We'll be heading out west to Colorado on Saturday to do some boarding before the season is over. Let me know on instagram if you've got any recommendations.

Today we're talking about;

• our one short life on this planet (and what prevents us from enjoying it)

• the difference between heroes and villains

• the story of an ancient chinese farmer

Let's dive in.

In a world full of rushing around, working for things that don't matter, and a general lack of gratefulness or appreciation for life, we need to reevaluate what really matters.

Because if we want to live a life we deeply enjoy and are fulfilled by, then we can't live like the majority of people around us.

The problem is that most people get sucked into a never ending flow of meaningless distractions and responsibilities that have been force fed to them as "the right way" by society, parents, and friends.

If you only had one life, what would you do with it?

Is that a "dumb" question?

It seems to me a question one could be ridiculed or laughed at for asking... Or given the simple response "What are you talking about?".

But why isn't this question taken seriously?

Is it because it blatantly points out an obvious truth, that we collectively AND individually, like to brush under the rug and ignore until it hits us in the face.

Probably.

Because you see, it's not a matter of if everyone we know, and ourselves, will die.

It's a matter of when.

And that truth is something we don't normally think about until we're forced by some untimely death of a friend or family member.

So I'll ask again, "If you only had one life, what would you do with it?".

Because we do only have one life - and the clock is always ticking.

So why do most people seem to live lives they hate, focus on things that don't matter, and leave their dreams unpursued.

What I believe holds back most people from living the life of their dreams is:

• fear

• lack of "know how"

• limiting beliefs

And today we are going to help you eliminate the 3rd one on that list - limiting beliefs - specifically the belief that you can't do something because of where you come from, what you've been through, where you currently are, and/ or what you're currently going through.

You can build the life of your dreams and find happiness no matter what.

It's a given that everyone comes from different backgrounds.

You might have had a really tough upbringing - and that's unfortunate - if you choose to look at it like that.

Or it could be the fuel you use to help others.

Because the harder in life that you've had it, the more you will ultimately be able to enjoy it - because everything in this universe is perfectly balanced (but that's a story for another letter).

If you don't think something is possible for you, that's just ignorance speaking.

I guarantee you can find someone who's had it harder and doing what you want to.

In fact go do that right after you finish reading this - go use google to find someone who's faced similar challenges to you but overcame them and is doing what you want to do with your life. Then study everything you can on them.

Right now, at this very second, there are millions of people out there who would happily trade all their current problems for yours.

I don't say that to downplay anyones struggles.

On a personal level, my heart goes out to you for whatever you're going through.

I say it to help motivate you to face the limiting beliefs holding you back in life so you can go after what you really want.

Stop living passively waiting for your lucky break.

Start putting yourself out in the world and working to make it happen.

Open up yourself to the possibility of something good happening.

The only thing stopping you is you.

The Difference Between Heroes and Villains

Heroes and villains always have the same back story - pain.

The difference is what they choose to do about it.

The Villain says “the world hurt me so I'll hurt it back”. The Hero says “the world hurt me so I'm not gonna let it hurt anyone else.”

Heroes use their pain as the intrinsic motivation to bring value to the world and help others.

The Farmer

There was once a farmer in ancient China who owned a horse.

"You are so lucky!” his neighbors told him, “to have a horse to pull the cart for you.”

“Maybe,” the farmer replied.

One day he didn’t latch the gate properly and the horse ran away.

“Oh no! That is terrible news!” his neighbors cried. “Such bad luck!”

“Maybe,” the farmer replied.

A few days later the horse returned, bringing with it six wild horses. “How fantastic!

You are so lucky,” his neighbors told him.

“Maybe,” the farmer replied.

The following week the farmer’s son was breaking-in one of the wild horses when it threw him to the ground, breaking his leg.

“Oh no!” the neighbors cried. “Such bad luck, all over again!”

“Maybe,” the farmer replied.

The next day soldiers came and took away all the young men to fight in the army.

The farmer’s son was left behind due to his injury. “You are so lucky!” his neighbors cried.

“Maybe,” the farmer replied.