Cultivation vs. Conservation

We all run out of energy. The normal day for a productive person consists of work/school, exercise, social activity, and other menial tasks like driving and eating. We all spend our 24 hours differently, but for most of us, by the end of the day, we are exhausted and ready to sleep. Somedays we reach that point, and realize that we haven't really even accomplished anything. We only have so much energy to expend each day, and if we allocate that energy towards things that drain us quickly we won't have any left for the things that matter.

Let's just say that we live in a socialist country, and the government gives everyone $100k a year to spend. Some will see their money as a means to make more money. They will take their $100k a year and move it around in a way that can generate more money for them. Moving forward, they will continue to generate more money as a result of good decision making and proper risk management. On the other hand, there would inevitably be those who wish they could just have a few thousand more, because they spent it all right away and have no way of getting any more.

I think of energy in the way that I have also learned to view money. If you allow yourself to operate under a mindset of scarcity, you will constantly feel like you're surrounded by drains and traps. You may let each day slip away as you continue to consume increasing amounts of caffeine to replicate the vitality you once had. There are tons of reasons people may feel this way, but it all boils down to decisions. Whether you spend your time pursuing an unfulfilling job, or allowing yourself to sit on social media all day, you will likely feel exhausted and emotionally unavailable until you get your next fix of energy or rest.

Out of principle, I never drink coffee. If there is a need for a pick me up everyday, the structure of your day is off. I understand that some people work long hours as a parent and or professional, and I'm just 'too young to understand'. But I stand firm in my opinion that there are steps to take that will naturally increase energy.

Exercise, proper nutrition, and rest are essential in establishing the baseline health we need to feel energized. But many people do these things, and still totally lack the vigor needed to get things done. Now, I'm fully aware how generic this is going to sound, but you have to really cultivate your "why." I actually just cringed writing that. It's true though. You can have access to all the energy in the world, but if you spend it all on stuff you don't care about, you will be of no use to anyone.

Even the people with the most fire, can find themselves burnt out. Trust me, I'm not the person that is trying to advocate against making big fires. I think it's important that we all burn as brightly as we can. But if you want sustainable warmth (energy) in this life, you must grow a mighty forest for firewood. People have the tendency to run themselves into the ground. Maybe I'm biased, but I feel like a lot of people I'm around get some kind of sick pleasure from wearing themselves down. It's not sustainable to over work yourself, yet many of us still do it. This behavior negatively compounds into a real detriment over a lifetime. A cluttered calendar and an overly active mind will destroy your creative ability and steal all of your energy. Simply put, you won't be able to do great things.

Let's go back to talking about money. We all know those people who came from nothing, earn a comfortable wage, and hold on to it as tightly as possible. Many people do the same thing with their energy, it's easy to get comfortable and coast. But I don't think people realize how much they can do to increase their energy beyond the norm. A rare breed of people are so passionate about their life, that they jump out of bed each morning and can hardly go to sleep each night. I'm not quite there yet, but I think this is possible for everyone.

We just need to put more thought into how we plant our trees. Your fire can't burn forever if it isn't fueled. If we get comfortable with the warmth of our measly little flame, we will never know how good it feels to have an everlasting blaze burning inside of us. Don't waste your flame on unproductive activities, and don't let it be extinguished by soulless work. Take your little spark, and fuel it like your life depends on it, because it does.

"The candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long"

"Wake up with determination, go to sleep with satisfaction"