A pretty radical idea; it looks like a lot of people consider incentives, like you have to incentivize people to do XYZ. But what if this whole line of thinking were wrong?
For example, in the markets, as a trader investor etc.… It seems that most people are driven by a profit motive, or a bonus motive or incentive. But what if, your drive was autotelic instead?
Maybe I’m the only investor who is motivated by fun and play? And also the joy of speculation?
I feel like I might be light years ahead of everyone else; for myself, as I’m getting older and more experience wiser and richer… Conversely I’m also becoming more frugal, scrappy, innovative and creative?
As time goes on, I’m becoming more Spartan & frugal.
The first thing that I learned is spending money on something to purchase a solution is a bit base. Certainly there is no wrong reason spending money or purchasing things, to fix problems… But often, the root cause of things are deeper than that.
So often whenever I want to buy something to solve a problem, I stop pause and take it back to first principles and try to get to myself… Wait, what is it that I’m really trying to do here?
For example I’m currently going through an issue where I already maxed out all my weights, for my one rep max hypelifting. Maybe I need to consider the whole thing— so from a first principles perspective:
When I am trying to do a one rep Max, what is it that I’m really trying to achieve?
For myself, it is almost like an out of body experience.
Second, maybe I’m still curious about my limits; being able to supersede my limits, but then again… Why am I curious what my limits are? is it a curiosity in which the human body can achieve? Naturally? And if so why does this kind of thinking even matter?
Maybe another one is kind of like I just want to get stronger, become stronger, and as a consequence, to have bigger more impressive muscles. But if I no longer have other people to impress, maybe I’m just trying to impress myself?
You look at your body like 99% of the day; assuming that you’re not living in a campsite, you’re constantly surrounded by mirrors and reflections of yourself. As a consequence, you’re going to damn well know what your physique looks like.
One of the best things about no longer going to a gym is I’ve been able to detox a little bit from the often superficial gym culture. I think I’m becoming a little bit more honest; for example, exercising for myself, because I care for myself. Not to stunt or flex on others.