Thinking is Cheating

Picture this:

You’re a measly 8-year-old, you just finished the biggest test of the year that induced more stress than any 8-year-old ever should encounter.

Everyone simultaneously realizes that no one is taking the test anymore.

Let’s play Heads Up, 7 Up!

A game that requires either:

• Good Guessing Skills
• Good Cheating Skills

You have your head down, but you’re a sly kid, so you’re secretly looking through your elbow, and you see the shoes of the person who put your thumb down.

You know exactly who it was.

All you have to do to win is cheat a little bit.

This is my outlook on some of my fellow Gen Z’ers

I have accepted and eliminated my bewilderment that stemmed from seeing many of my peers, not care at all, about things that bring me life.

Passé towards school.

Too worried about themself to serve others.

Too tired to go to the gym.

Burnt out and unable to study outside of class.

I am not mad whatsoever at them, it is not their fault.

At least that’s what I have convinced myself.

Thinking, passion, and focus feel like cheating at this point.

The Root

If you’re going to complain without offering a solution or providing what you believe is the root cause, then I do not care.

In an effort to remain consistent, I had to do this with my own brain.

Some root causes I deduced and will elaborate on:

• Music — A constant stream of subliminals, vibrations, and messages not only blunts the ability to think but alters what the thoughts are
• Food — A constant stream of poison and calories not only slows thinking but can actually regress it.
• Perception — A constant non-self-serving belief in oneself or in others, is simply a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Music

After discussing this with peers & parents, here’s what I’ve concluded.

• Music has a blunting effect on thinking. It stops thinking for a period of time, and your ability to utilize your cognitive strength is masked until the cooldown period is over. (All from my experience)
• Many people listen to music on their walks, gym sessions, study periods, train rides, and dinner outings, EVERY SECOND. They are now rendered incapable of deeper thought.
• The music itself transitions the effect from neutral to negative. I have come to realize that parents are right, you shouldn’t be listening to that.

If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration. — Nikola Tesla

• I won’t go into the conspiracy, but I will establish that it is my strongly held belief that if not done intentionally, music alters your state of mind in a self-destructive manner.

Food

After speaking with researchers, reading multiple books, 100+ articles, and more, here’s what I have deduced: (Here are two pieces I’ve written on this Track Food, Food Hacks)

• The saying “You are what you eat” is entirely true. What you consume has a direct impact on not only how your body performs, but how you think & feel.
• Food is not a category that fills the void of hunger. Convenience should not be at the top of what dictates your choices in food, that in turn says your mental & physical health/strength are at the bottom of your priorities.
• You do not know who you are until you are healthy. That is my belief. I don’t claim myself to be the healthiest person on earth or even healthy at all!
• (1) I do not know all there is to know about health & my personal body
• (2) The information necessary to perfect health is not even out
• (3) I am highly imperfect, and although it may seem as though I am disciplined, I am on autopilot, and I can do much better.
• What you eat, impacts not only your current state and your future state, BUT THE STATE OF YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. (Look up Nutrition and Epigenetics, shoutout Deep Nutrition) Don’t be selfish.

Perception

This one is the most difficult because it is the most intangible.

• My parents programmed me well, so do not take anything I say as though I did it myself
• It blows my mind that many people have no faith. Without faith, you stand no chance against failure or instability. The only thing that remains stable is the presence of instability. A lack of faith is a scarcity mindset, you will never take risks and never reap rewards.
• It feels like a shot to the heart, every time I see stats about impostor syndrome. (Here is my piece on it) NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THEY’RE DOING. These braggadocious adults who either got lucky with good teachers/parents or with a brain that has wiring that is beneficial for this era, act like they did it all on their own… they didn’t. I’ve had dinner with IVY League Professors, Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs, whatever, they are weird and insecure for the most part.
• I get embarrassed for my generation when I hear of all the things some people are dealing with internally. I am not talking about self-improvement or depression, but making self-discovery a conscious priority. Listen, how will someone have a good autobiography, if all they do is write about themself? They will have no stories, no one backing them, no finances, no blessings, nothing. Note: I do not blame them, for we are one of the first generations to have a challenge or test to get into adulthood. It is a void that is unfilled.