a present spent optimizing the future
choose right now 👇
the arc of human life is like a perpetual loop of preparation.
prepare for a high school program.
prepare for the best college acceptance.
prepare for a job.
prepare for retirement.
prepare to die as you wind down, willingly and unwillingly, your capacity to enjoy life.
the present can’t be enjoyed if it’s constantly wired solely to optimize for the future. the happiest people i know are motivated by the joy they experience in the present, rather than chasing “bigger joy.”
there is instrumental living vs. intrinsic living. instrumental means doing things only as a means for later rewards, while intrinsic means the activity itself has value. we tend to slide too far into the instrumental side.
don’t get it twisted - you can chase larger ambitions while relishing in the present joy. but, you cannot chase joy through preparing for the future. joy is what you make of it today, and it can be found in the smallest things.
the simplest way to break out of this preparation loop is to pause and, once in a while, make a big decision based on “will this be a lot of fun right now?” rather than “will this help my future?” more often than you’d expect, the former ends up contributing to your better future anyway.
today’s drops 🔍️
all-expenses-paid design conference for students (applications due in 4 days)
product internship @ dow jones
join the waitlist for the claude for everyone event in toronto on march 5th