I was talking with a friend the other day about addiction. It’s an interesting topic because I think that I have a fairly addictive personality. Thankfully, I spend most of that energy on slightly less dangerous activities than hard drugs – such as skydiving, running long distances and other worldwide adventures
However, the idea of an addict is that you can’t live without something. Unfortunately, most people are addicted to something.
- Drugs
- Debt
- Sex
- Food
- Stuff
- Money
- Comfort
- Carbs
Some addictions have worse stigmas than others, but most people are addicts of some sort or the other.
It’s been interesting to look at my activity choices over the past few years as I’ve found that most things in my life I do because I’m optimizing for whatever the opposite of a addiction is.
Impossible Freedom.
In other words – most of the things in my life I do because I’m optimizing for Freedom.
- I started my own business because it gives me the freedom of time.
- I value fitness because it allows me the freedom of adventure – and lets me say “yes” to whatever crazy adventures I can think up.
- I got rid of my things because it gives me freedom to travel.
- I recently downsized where I’m living because I wanted to allocate more resources to growing my business.
Freedom – the ability to not be held back by anything.
A big part of this is that I spent so much time in my life telling myself fake stories about why I couldn’t do something – I never want that to happen again – for any reason whatsoever.
Absolute freedom.
Impossible Freedom.
What’s holding you back? How can you get rid of it?
I’m optimizing for “Whatever”. I already have freedom, but I’m working to get to a point where any opportunity that comes my way, I can jump on it. Travel, adventure, business, whatever.
I’m optimizing for Freedom too. Also, kitesurfing…. 🙂
I’m also optimizing for freedom, but what’s holding me back is all the debt. The good thing is that my wife and I sat down and made a plan to start chopping away at it.
I am seeking power in life, the power to be able to a financially safe life, the power to have the most important relationships be able to have a wonderful time with, and for both me and the people in my life be able to accomplish whatever is most valuable to them in life
I’m optimizing for freedom in every way I can… I’m getting fit and losing weight so that I can do anything that I want to physically, and I’m getting my financial situation in order so that I can do anything I want to financially. 🙂
I’m optimizing for peace of mind and flow. Whatever happens, and *it does happen, I want to know I had my priorities straight, that I was strong of purpose and heart, and yet still flexible and open enough to embrace change or even hardship without breaking… In making meaningful connections and cultivating calm acceptance, and realizing we choose to be inspired, I don’t have to waste time on what is unimportant.
I am optimizing for impossible financial freedom…I got myself into a really complicated financial situation (now that I read your article I think it may possibly be because I am addicted to debt so will work on banishing that) which, if I didn’t have I would be really financial free even before starting my own business. So I will be spending my focus on that.
I’m optimizing for independence. Independence from what society says I should be doing, instead of what I want to be doing. Independence from anything holding me back.
I want to set my own rules. Set my own priorities. Live the life I want to live.
*Should be noted that I do not want independence from my wife! Independence from the world’s expectations can give us both the life we want.
I’m optimising for success…
I’m currently doing a fully funded Postgrad in Aerospace Engineering, while working 3 jobs on the side. In addition to this I volunteer at airshows where I can network with the engineering companies who come in to display, and I volunteer working to restore old aircraft.
My idol is Clarence “Kelly” Johnson who designed the SR-71, U-2, Hercules, all the “big” aircraft of the 60s & 70s and if I could become even half as successful as him, my optimisation would be a roaring success!!
Hello Laura Lou, I am actually on track to becoming an aerospace engineer. I am currently majoring in physics at the undergrad university level. Are there any tips that you can provide applying these principles to the field of aerospace engineering?
Hi Joel. Please forgive me for using your comment section here, but I’m trying to get a hold of someone to help me and haven’t been able to. You can feel free to delete this comment at some point.
I’ve purchased impossible abs (the $47 one) and didn’t receive any email (not even anything in my junk folder). Yesterday night I tried filling out the form to reach “impossible ventures” but have got no reply since then. Are replies only on the weekdays or something? This is what I used:
http://impossible.ventures/
I’ve already paid, and it clearly shows on my bank statement. I was looking forward to getting started this week so this wait is really no fun. Could you please help me?
Hey Joel,
This post really spoke to me. Optimizing towards something is a very technical way of thinking about things that I personally use as a software engineer. However, the concept can be applied to work, a workout and pretty much any activity. If you’re thinking about what you’re optimizing a current activity towards – you’re being fully present and doing things with a sense of purpose. The last level of thinking is about what you’re optimizing your life towards – what are you trying to do, what are you trying to achieve… Once you’ve figured that out – a lot of other things you’ll be doing will be based on that.
Cheers!
Foucault’s History of Sexuality Part 2 might be interesting to you. Basically talks about how Freedom is as much freedom from ourselves as from institutions.
Ie. Is someone really fre who is a slave to his desires?
The concept of freedom is a question that hits people fairly well. Many people like to assume they’re free when they’re really trapped by other things in life. It could be their job, being in debt, or their own mindset. By learning how to escape the situation, it creates a great sense of freedom on them.