4072: 9 Ever Present Distractions That Keep Us From Fully Living by Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist

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[00:01:00] [SPEAKER_00] This is Optimal Living Daily. Nine ever present distractions that keep us from fully living. By Joshua Becker of becomingminimalist.com. And I'm Justin Malik. Ready to get right to it and continue optimizing your life. Nine ever present distractions that keep us from fully living. By Joshua Becker of becomingminimalist.com.

[00:01:27] [SPEAKER_00] Our world is becoming increasingly filled with distraction. Information moves faster, louder and brighter than ever before. Entertainment, social media and marketing have never been so prevalent. They beg for our attention and our focus. In doing so, our minds are diverted from more important work. We would be wise to adopt principles that help us live less distracted. However, these distractions are easy to notice.

[00:01:54] [SPEAKER_00] We readily admit that we spend too much time checking email, watching television or playing games on our phone. After all, the battle plays out in front of us each day. Far more detrimental to our lives are the subtle distractions that quietly surround us. They are not announced with blinking lights or beeping sounds. In fact, they have become so commonplace and ever present, we hardly even notice their existence. But these distractions take residence in our mind and wreak havoc on our pursuits.

[00:02:23] [SPEAKER_00] And in the end, they keep us from living our lives to their greatest potential. Consider this list of nine ever present distractions that often keep us from fully living. And recognize if any have taken residence in your heart. Number one, the promise of tomorrow. Joshua Becker said it like this, quote, We waste so many days waiting for the weekend, so many nights wanting morning.

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_00] Our lust for future comfort is the biggest thief of life, end quote. It is not entirely foolish to look toward the future and plan accordingly. However, when we endure our days only for the sake of tomorrow, the weekend, the vacation or the retirement, we miss out on the full beauty and potential of the present. Number two, the pursuit of perfection. We ought to pursue excellence and pride in all we do.

[00:03:16] [SPEAKER_00] Our next step forward should be the right next step, and it should be taken with as much intention as possible. But doing our best and achieving perfection are rarely the same. When perfection becomes the goal, it becomes the enemy of progress. And in this way, it often distracts us from taking the essential risk of moving forward. Number three, the regret of yesterday. To live is to experience regret. Nobody escapes life unscathed.

[00:03:43] [SPEAKER_00] We regret our actions, our decisions, and our motivations. But no amount of regret can ever change the past, and only those who have come to recognize and admit their imperfections are able to move beyond them. Call your mistakes what they are, offer an apology when necessary, and then move on. Don't allow regret from the past to negatively distract from opportunity in the present. Number four, the accumulation of possessions.

[00:04:11] [SPEAKER_00] The things we own require our time, our energy, our money, and our attention. Every increased possession adds increased stress in our lives. And yet we continue to pursue and accumulate more and more and more. But more is not the answer. More has become the distraction. Number five, the desire for wealth. Those who chase riches have misplaced their greatest potential and traded it to the highest bidder.

[00:04:41] [SPEAKER_00] Our lives were designed for contribution, to provide a positive impact on society, for ourselves, our families, and those who live in a community with us. Sometimes our contribution provides financial excess. Other times it does not. But either way, when our contribution to society becomes chiefly motivated by a selfish desire to accumulate riches, it has become self-focused. It has become self-focused. And we have lost our opportunity to live it to the fullest. Number six, the need for notoriety.

[00:05:11] [SPEAKER_00] The life you live is the life you live regardless if anybody notices or not. Those who live lives focused on the need to be recognized for it are usually the first to take shortcuts to get there. Instead, find significance in the eyes of those who know you best. Because in the end, that is all that matters anyway. Number seven, the pull of comparison. It seems by nature we feel compelled to compare our lives to the people around us.

[00:05:39] [SPEAKER_00] We compare our belongings, our appearance, our families, and our successes. But each time we do, we place our focus and energy on the wrong person. Comparing yourself to others will always cause you to regret what you are not, rather than allow you to enjoy and grow who you are. Number eight, the appeal of pleasure. Many of us are led astray by the appeal and pursuit of pleasure. Why not, we might ask? What is wrong with the pursuit of pleasure?

[00:06:07] [SPEAKER_00] And I might even agree, at least to a point. But here's the problem. Pleasure is a terrible teacher. The most significant lessons we learn in life are rarely received during times of pleasure. Instead, they are born out of pain. I'm not contending that we should seek pain in our lives, but I am contending a life lived chiefly for the pursuit of pleasure we usually seek it in all the wrong places. And number nine, the presence of indifference.

[00:06:36] [SPEAKER_00] The world is a big place and we have much to offer. Those who choose to live life as a victim will always miss their opportunity to give. Additionally, those who choose to adopt an indifference to the world around them will miss out on their greatest potential. But those who recognize need and seek to do something about it, experience a joy and fulfillment that can never be discovered anywhere else. Our world is full of distraction. The most dangerous are those we do not recognize.

[00:07:04] [SPEAKER_00] But our fullest potential requires that we notice distraction and work diligently to overcome it. You just listened to the post titled, Nine Ever-Present Distractions That Keep Us From Fully Living, by Joshua Becker of becomingminimalist.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary. Back to school starts now. Get long lasting battery life on the Dell XPS laptop powered by Series 3 Intel Core

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[00:08:45] [SPEAKER_00] Take it to Joshua. I think what makes this list a little different is that these aren't the obvious distractions. We all know we check our phones too much. These are the quieter ones running in the background that we don't really notice. Possessions is always a good one. Every single thing we own takes a little bit of our time and attention, even when it's just sitting in a closet. It reminds me of when my family decided to stop exchanging gifts one holiday season. We realized the stress of it all was outweighing the joy.

[00:09:14] [SPEAKER_00] And we were kind of doing it on autopilot just because that's what you do. I think that's the same with most of these. They're not bad on their own. Planning for the future, doing good work, even wanting nice things. It's when they kind of take over that they become a problem. The first one, the promise of tomorrow, is probably the one I'd suggest thinking over. Waiting for the weekend, the vacation, retirement.

[00:09:40] [SPEAKER_00] It's so easy to put off living until some future point that keeps moving. But in any case, maybe pick the one that hits closest to home for you and just notice it today. Like you said, the most dangerous distractions are the ones we don't recognize. So noticing really is the first step. So take that step today. Thank you for being here and listening. Have a great rest of your day and I'll see you tomorrow as usual, where your optimal life awaits.