Since around age 18 I’ve been on a ‘quest’ to figure out life.
What is the point?
Why are we here?
Where are we going?
Where did we come from?
I’ve looked all over the place for these answers. Studied many religions. Spent hours upon hours reading philosophy. Spent even more hours questioning, contemplating, and obsessing over finding answers. This has drove me to have severe anxiety at times, thousands of panic attacks, bouts with depression, and basically stolen many many hours of my life.
Well I’m done with it. I can’t handle it. It induces too much anxiety and always ends in an endless loop of questions. Probably shouldn’t be putting this in a fitness/personal development blog but I don’t really care.
I’m declaring it to myself.
There are no answers, only perceptions.
We weren’t meant to have answers.
The human brain short circuits anytime proposed answers are deeply contemplated anyways. The ONLY answer that I can confidently say after all these years is this: life is meant to be lived. This is meant to be an experience. Stop looking for deeper answers. Enjoy right now and do what it takes to make the most out of this life. Create experiences. Capture experiences. Love. It’s that simple.
No more philosophy for me. This post will likely only relate to people philosophical minded (maybe .01% of people).
That’s fine. Love you all.
Crazy, the more I read your stuff the more we sound the same. Exactly what I’ve been through for a long time. I’ve always been the questioning type, even as a kid. Mom would say “your favorite word is “why?” because thats what I always did. I still battle with it, but I have in the last several months or so, just decided to be more in the moment and not care about where we came from or where I’m going when I die. Its just too much. Its like sitting through a movie, not paying attention, wondering who directed the whole thing haha.. kind of a waste! So yeah, good post bro
when you think you have answered all the questions, go back and ask them all again but think about the answers as if you were still a child, use your imagination to create new answers. we limit ourselves only by our thoughts. peace and love. somtimes things are as big as they are small (quark
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Hey Sam, I hear you buddy. I remember when I reached this level of understanding. I felt free. It feels good to reach this point doesn’t it… Liberating
Was reading and found this quote which made me think of this post:
“The source of man’s unhappiness is his ignorance of Nature. The pertinacity with which he clings to blind opinions imbibed in his infancy, which interweave themselves with his existence, the consequent prejudice that warps his mind, that prevents its expansion, that renders him the slave of fiction, appears to doom him to continual error.”
- Paul Henri Thiry, Baron d’Holbach, System of Nature; or, the Laws of the Moral and Physical World (London, 1797), Vol. 1, p. 25
One of my favorite quotes from Joseph Campbell: “Life is without meaning. You bring the meaning to it. The meaning of life is whatever you ascribe it to be. Being alive is the meaning.”
Just became one of my favorite quotes as well.
I’m definitely a philosophical person myself, but I try not to look much into things. Are you familiar with Ayn Rand? Look her up sometime. She has some good read that you might be interested in.
Sam!
Candace is right on. Ayn Rand has a philosophy based around what you’re saying.
Life does have a purpose: To he happy.
There is no “higher” purpose than your own joy and self fulfillment.
Don’t give up on reason or say that the human brain can’t comprehend happiness. You proved that’s not true by writing this post.
I think the book Atlas Shrugged is one you HAVE to read. It changed my life forever. Philosophy is simple: Live For Your Own Happiness.
We all have to be in life for our own interests. We cant abandon our goals for someone else.
Great work and I loved this post-short and meaningful.
-Armi
Yep! I’m finishing up Atlas Shrugged right now!! Long but very worth while read!
Great stuff Armi. My mom actually loves Atlas Shrugged. I need to check it out. Is there an overview of the book somewhere that you’re aware of?
Your mom is a super smart woman:D
I think to get the full gist of the book you have to read it, but the philosophy is simple. Here are some great places to start:
Overview of her philosophy:
http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=objectivism_intro
Sparknotes for Atlas Shrugged:
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/atlasshrugged/
Anthem by Ayn Rand
A much shorter book that includes many of the same philosophies. More like a novella
http://amzn.to/j51BIL
hope this helps man. Start at the top and work your way down:P
That crazy russian lady changed my life.
-armi
thanks for the comments everyone. It’s nice to know I’m not alone.
I am grateful I stumbled across your site Sam. I have been round and round this type of thinking for at least a decade. Why don’t I see the world the same way as parents/family/friends? Is it possible for us to do what we want/think/dream? It is work and takes effort, but can it be that simple? Do we have the ability to shape our world?
Finding your site and always looking for more information has led me to believe we can do what we want and make the most of our lives. It is experiences more than anything that we hold dear to our hearts, remember when we need to and want to share with our loved ones. I guess I needed some confirmation in my way of thinking and I want to thank you for thinking and sharing with us!
I look forward to experiencing more.
Hi Sam do you still remember me? I know I still owe you something I will not forget that. I will give it to you soon. I’m happy you are already on the first page of Google for your keyword and still climbing. Take care Brother!
Yep. thanks Mr John Lazy.
You know you’re not alone in this, Sammy <3 There are a few of us who are quite like you and understand all you've gone through. You know I love ya!
You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life. ~Albert Camus
The purpose of life is a life of purpose. ~Robert Byrne
Ron Paul 2012!!!
I´m know 19 years old. I´m living in Prague and feel same like you when you was 18. Thanks to you, I know, that I´m not the only person in this world, who has same questions and always argue with myself. Thanks for sharing these thoughts. There is a big chance that you never going to read this. But reading your thoughts mean to me so much, that I cannot describe by my words. I think you will understand me, thank you for your exist.
thanks for writing this Sam. I’m now 17 and I feel like you did. Since 16 I can’t stop wondering about life and all this philosophy, you made me feel more confident about the fact that life has to be lived and nothing mire. And thank you all, because I felt too like I’m the only person like that in the word.