Pushing Beyond Survival for a Fuller Life

When striving to reach the next level or to achieve ambitious goals that are completely outside of the realm that we are used to, we can find ourselves struggling and blaming ourselves for not being better. We’re not disciplined enough, not working hard enough, not starting tasks early enough, and more. The mistake that we make is thinking that there is something wrong with us and then trying to use willpower to get the job done. It’s great if you develop the discipline and willpower needed, however many do not, and it’s okay because it’s human.

Understanding Our Design

Human beings are designed to survive, like all living things. We weren’t designed to be happy, successful, rich, powerful, or famous. We may want those things and we may achieve them, however the basic design of humans is to do enough to survive and a little extra for some comfort. Following our basic design, we do not save a lot of money, we procrastinate, and we do what we have to. The good news is that we will be okay because we are designed to be okay. The first step is to accept the way that you are and then work with it.

Much of our lives are unnatural. As we have developed civilizations and technologies, we do many things that human beings weren’t designed to do such as use phones, drive cars, and travel thousands of kilometres in hours. We’re adaptable and so we need to adapt to the way that we work so that we can reach the next level. Striving for the next level and going outside of our usual range will be just another time that we do something unnatural or beyond our design for survival.

How To Go Beyond Survival?

There are two general approaches: leveraging our survival mechanisms or shifting our mindset to proactively produce more than we need.

Leveraging Your Survival Mechanism

This is the most common way that people reach the next level in life. This approach is to manipulate your survival mechanism to work for you and achieve your goals. You do this by creating a gap between where you need to produce more in order to survive the next level.

For example, if you want to make more money you can increase your costs incrementally so that you have to make more money to cover all of your bills. Imagine getting engaged which forces you to make more money for the wedding, then buy a home, or have children. The obligation comes first and then your survival mechanism forces you to make more money.

Another example is if you wanted to become fit, you could register for a marathon and tell all of your friends about it. This commitment necessitates regular training and exercise.

As your lifestyle demands increase, you’ll find yourself driven to meet those obligations and they push you to higher levels.

Shifting Your Mindset

Alternatively, you can adopt a proactive mindset that encourages producing more than what is immediately necessary. This approach requires having a vision and purpose that extends beyond your current needs, pulling you towards greater achievements.

To implement this:

1. Set Ambitious Goals: Aim for objectives that go beyond your immediate survival needs. These could be career ambitions, personal development milestones, or creative projects.

2. Cultivate Vision and Purpose: Align your daily actions with a larger purpose. This alignment will provide the motivation and drive to achieve more than the minimum.

Pushing beyond survival offers numerous benefits, ultimately leading to greater freedom in various aspects of life.

Financial Freedom

Accumulating wealth reduces stress and provides the means to buy back your time. With financial stability, you have the freedom to make choices that align with your desires rather than your necessities.

Health and Well-being

A healthier body translates to more energy and a longer, more capable life. When you’re not just surviving but thriving, your body and mind are freer to explore and enjoy life’s possibilities.

Greater Freedom of Choice

Overall, going beyond survival expands your options. Whether it’s financial, health-related, or personal growth, the more you push past the bare minimum, the more control and freedom you gain over your life.

Conclusion

Living an unnatural life is already a part of our daily existence. By recognizing this and leveraging either survival mechanisms or a proactive mindset, we can push beyond mere survival to achieve a fuller, more enriched life. Embrace the unnatural, set ambitious goals, and watch as your capabilities expand far beyond what you once thought possible.