Today I was working, when I had to pass through Reddit to post on a client account.
By default my personal account was signed in. I was kind of entering flow, so I hesitated to press “Enter” on Reddit, knowing that I very well could lose my flow if I had notifications.
Thankfully, I didn’t. But the second danger caught my eye: /r/AskReddit.
Ask Reddit is a subreddit where fascinating questions are often asked, and the stories/replies by the users are equally epic. Sometimes it’s triggering questions such as about people who accidentally killed someone, and other times purely fascinating & feel-good content.
One way or another, while Instagram or Facebook might be your vice, Reddit is mine.
Recently I’ve been avoiding it and feeling all the better because of it. Today though, I had to pass through Reddit because now I am growing a Reddit account for a client.
Anyways, a /r/AskReddit post caught my eye. It was tempting to click the post and read, but I didn’t wish to disrupt my flow.
Suddenly an insight hit me: every fucking day there is something fascinating and interesting on this Reddit website. I don’t need to click through this post because if I’m truly curious I’ll remember it later, and if later I wish to consciously browse Reddit, then there will always be something waiting for me!
I began to reflect: this is true of YouTube, Reddit, social media, everything. As I write this the entirety of the entertainment industry stands by, ready to entertain me when I’m ready.
It is designed to be addictive by nature. It is designed to please us. And why would we browse Reddit if it weren’t pleasing immediately, or do whatever other vice you have?
The thing is, I just had a huge epiphany which led to the writing of this post: everything is hype.
I don’t need to click that Reddit post because in reality there is no urgency. It will wait for me for when I finish work, if I truly desire to read it.
Already I’ve forgotten what the post is. Now that I try to recall, I can vaguely remember some of the words, but funny enough I don’t actually remember the entirety of the post title.
Do you remember what Facebook posts you saw yesterday, which YouTube videos you wasted time on, or which posts you liked on Instagram?
Probably not.
Now that doesn’t mean we have to cut these things out completely, I’m just saying that you’re not going to remember a large portion of your life so you minus well do things that fulfill you long-term.
For example, I am still reaping the benefits of the hard work I did years ago to learn digital marketing! I’ve had my main job for about 2 years now, and there is no end in sight.
That’s 2 years of world travel, income, and location freedom because I decided to put in the work to get a client over 2 years ago.
The work that I did years ago is still affecting me today! And the work you have done years ago is still impacting you, if not through the habits you’ve developed that affect you day by day.
Again, I’m not saying you should cut out YouTube or Reddit or something completely. Enjoy your life by all means.
All I’m saying is that so much of this entertainment is pure hype. It’s all too easy to let your mind get hooked by these things, as if there is some sense of urgency- but there will always be new content awaiting you.
You likely won’t even remember what you “lost” when you decide to brush Reddit aside for the hour, or YouTube, or Instagram, just like you wouldn’t remember what you “gained” had you done it.
But you WILL feel the ramifications of working out, improving a relationship, or growing a business!
The hype of the world is luring and addicting. It is endless. The entirety of the world stands by, ready to please you. Countless video games, movies, TV shows, social media posts, videos, and blogs await your attention and money.
It can wait though… And it will, if you have the courage to set it down and work towards what you want.
-Michael
