"Here’s something to consider: If you have a friend whose relationship you wouldn’t recommend to your sister, or your father, or your son, why would you have such a friend for yourself? […] Friendship is a reciprocal arrangement. You are not morally obliged to support someone who is making the world a worse place." - Jordan Peterson

An Improvement. Yesterday is No Longer.

Edit: I ran out of bandwidth yesterday, hence why I didn't get to post this! Sad, I know. But I'll be posting Day 8 as well tonight! I would never skimp out on this.

Today is a better day than yesterday! Not because yesterday is in the past, but because I have renewed vigor which will translate into better habits and more discipline!

I was watching Charisma on Command yesterday and noted one of his videos, '5 Morning Routine Habits of Successful People', and I have decided to take on one to two of those habits!

I'm now drinking green tea. (Wow. Incredible.)

I am also starting intermittent fastening! I've been thinking about it a lot recently and decided to just take the plunge. Except it's the worst possible week to start, considering there are two family members who have their birthdays this week, as well as Chinese New Year.

I'm also thinking of trying out dtube and dlive - I have a second account which I accidentally received when trying to sign up for steemit (I got lazy waiting). 

Anyways! On to the third chapter!

Stats

Habit: Reading

Date: 11/02/2018

Currently Reading: 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos

Previously Read: N/A

Pages Read Today (Minimum 10): 16

B.T.D (Book of The Day!)

Source

JP 12RL:AAC - Jordan Peterson's 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos.

Chapter 3! Finally! Pushing against the waves of confusion I soon emerge victoriously! I'll still have to reread chapter two to fully understand it but for now... I'm free!

It seems like this chapter is fairly self-explanatory and short. I got it just from the title, but it was good to read about Peterson's experience to highlight the need for the moral of the story.

Also, it has been a week! a week of reading! Let's look at how many pages I've read... 103 pages! 14 pages on average! 

We're 26% of the way through the book, so that's some pretty impressive work!

Rule 3: Make Friends With People Who Want The Best For You

"You’re associating with people who are bad for you not because it’s better for anyone, but because it’s easier. You know it. Your friends know it. You’re all bound by an implicit contract – one aimed at nihilism, and failure, and suffering of the stupidest sort. You’ve all decided to sacrifice the future to the present."

It's simple, ain't it? 

You know what it means. I know what it means. I'm pretty sure the kids down the street know what it means.

Want to hear a commonly spouted quote by Jim Rohn?

You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.

To be honest, I don't take the quote in the way it is meant to be intended. I do not find myself thinking I'll have certain mannerisms that my friends or family have, but that they will affect me in how I position myself to continue on in the future.

In relation to this chapter, it's about having those people around you who are competitive (and fair!), ambitious, diligent, disciplined and do not fall to jealousy when you or someone else accomplish this or that.

Even if you start a hobby or join a club that doesn't pique a friend's interest, they should be encouraging and happy for you.

"But it’s not true. We were all too prematurely cynical and world-weary and leery of responsibility to stick to the debating clubs and Air Cadets and school sports that the adults around us tried to organize."

I would like to point out this quote from the book, which can also be related to the average quote. In the book, Peterson is explaining that, as a teenager, it wasn't cool to do such activities which have been organized for them by adults.

But imagine all the experience and teachings that those activities can offer.

Why don't we take the opportunities that appear out of thin air?

I'd like to think we're simply blind to it.

Regardless, I wanted to relate my own experience to this. I was very depressed during my time in high school and what really brought me out was becoming active.

I did the Duke of Edinburgh program, meant for 16 to 25-year-old(s), where you spend at minimum one hour a week doing three different things - Physical activity, learning a new skill and volunteering - either for 3 months (bronze level), 6 months (silver), and then 12 months (gold). 

Source

The Duke of Edinburgh program was what I needed to find something to do with myself, to become organized, to begin working on skills and passions that I thought I lost. It was a good distraction from myself.

It was a contributing factor to my recovery and from there I moved on to World Challenge, where I spent a month in India volunteering and hiking.

So you can see why I relate to the quote.

But... What about those who are going down the spiral or have hit rock bottom?

Don't fall into the trap, don't get dragged down with them.

I've been there, you've been there. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that I wouldn't want to go back down there.

"Down is a lot easier than up."

Ignore the Repetitive Compulsion the 'unconscious drive to repeat the horrors of the past.'

"Maybe I should at least wait, to help you, until it’s clear that you want to be helped. Carl Rogers, the famous humanistic psychologist, believed it was impossible to start a therapeutic relationship if the person seeking help did not want to improve."

The quote above is something I agree with. I want to help people, but why continue further, why feel that frustration when they just push you away? They don't want to listen, so all you can do is watch them. Perhaps you can give a guiding hand, try to steer them into another direction, but you just can't provide them with the incentive needed to give them that strength.

Even then, are you doing it for the right reasons? Is it because of narcissism? To feel good about yourself?

"It might be just a person trying to look good pretending to solve what appears to be a difficult problem instead of actually being good and addressing something real."

It's a fine line to tread and cross. 

A Chapter Full of Thoughts

This chapter's title is a common piece of advice, however, it needed to be mentioned! Otherwise, it wouldn't be the 12 rules, the antidotes to chaos, and the fundamentals as to how one should go about their life.

Has there ever been a situation where you had to cut someone out of your life? Did it make your life better or worse?

I don't think you should feel guilty for doing such things. In the spirit of Peterson's book and his teachings to millennials, you should focus on yourself before you can take on the world.

So that's it for today!

Thanks for joining this ride! I hope you’ve enjoyed it thus far. 

Tell me what you think of the book at its current stage! What are your thoughts on the quotes given and questions raised?

And don’t forget to follow if you’d like to see more updates and thoughts from me,

C8!

Feel free to check out the day before! Click here!