A Most Dangerous Affliction

All self improvement oriented people have some eagerness to adopt practices and customs that will broaden their potential, increase their effectiveness, and generally enhance their life. That is the nature of self improvement.

But I have found that in my own journey, while it is important to add, there comes a time when in fact it becomes more valuable to subtract.

What are the things in our lives, whether they be people, practices, or beliefs, that may be holding us back?

In fact, there is one personality trait I have thought about over the last week or so that may very well be the most dangerous affliction of all. It’s opposite is capable of eliminating all the traits you may think of:

Laziness, Fear, Shame, Doubt, Procrastination, Ill Discipline, etc.

This trait I am circling is necessary, but not sufficient, to disarm any other. Pay close attention to the previous sentence’s seventh word - if someone possesses this particular trait, they are doomed to circle the bowel of trouble and mayhem forever.

The trait I speak of, is closed mindedness.

not willing to consider different ideas or opinions

Bear in mind, there are few black and whites in this life.

Should someone come to us with an argument in favor of pedophilia, we would not be open to their arguments. There lies a prime example of well founded closed mindedness.

However, beyond those extremes, there is not a strong case for the proverbial head in the sand.

Think of it this way - you are who you are, but you wish to be different in some way or another. Earn more money, change careers, improve your relationship with a partner, get in better shape… all things that you currently lack.

To achieve whatever goal it is you have will require addition or subtraction… but you have to be open minded to do either. We must be willing to learn, change, and adapt in order to expand our lives via our minds and souls.

We think of ourselves as fixed and the world as malleable, but it's really we who are malleable and the world that is largely fixed. - Naval Ravikant

The precursor to any great enhancement is the willingness to enhance at all.

A quick story from history that illustrates this point:

In June 1940, nearly the entire British Army was cornered by the Nazis on the beaches of Dunkirk in France. The large naval ships that had taken them over to the continent could not effectively be used to return them the twenty five miles home, as they were under persistent attack from the German Air Force and submarines. Most of the British high command had given up on the idea that there Army could be saved. Vice Admiral Bertam Ramsay had a radical idea, one that had never been done before - use the smalle, more nimble civilian watercraft to get their boys back. Prime Minister Winston Churchill, ever in favor of a bold plan, backed Ramsay on what would be known as Operation Dynamo. Open mindedness saved nearly the entire British Army, and much of the Free French, from total destruction.

Open minds save lives.

More exclusive updates to newsletter subscribers about my upcoming group trip to Kenya:

• The dates are set: November 1st - November 9th (celebrate my 30th birthday with me on the 8th)

• The price is set: $4,200 - including everything but international flights (we can get you 80% off or so, visa, insurance, tips, and some meals).

Newsletter subscribers receive $100 off for… well being newsletter subscribers.

Don’t be closed minded - shoot me an email, and learn more.

Sincerely,

Jacob

P.S. No longer going to Indonesia next… Afghanistan and Iraq call to me.