Zombie or Explorer?

Our current world is dominated by entertainment media (yes, including politics)

It’s a battlefield of apps trying to addict you to their platform.

In today’s society you’re either:

1. A Zombie

2. An Explorer

Zombies numb their brains by consuming shallow content.

Social media is their source of:

• Fun

• Happiness

• Relaxation

Look around, how many people’s eyes are glued to their phones?

Explorers on the other hand see this infected world.

They protect their most valuable resource — their attention.

Attention = Time + Energy

Explorers spend their attention on:

Their curiosities and build with what they discover.

Social media is simply just another tool in their arsenal.

In today’s newsletter I will show you how to stop living like a zombie and start exploring your curiosities!

Are You Infected?

Here’s a simple test:

Don’t use your phone for a day.

Yeah, I know you’re laughing now:

“Pftt, that’s easy — I can stop right now if I wanted to” - said every addict ever

For me, I realized one night when I picked up my mom from work & left my phone at home charging.

I got there 30 minutes early…and let me tell you — the silence was loud.

Here are some red flags you might notice during your phone-less day:

• Feeling more anxious than usual

• Reaching for your pocket throughout the day

• Reaching out for your phone during deep focused work

This simple test made it clear to me that I WAS addicted to my phone, even if I couldn’t admit it.

Look it’s not you’re fault…

These platforms have literally designed their apps to be addictive.

Coach Jacob said it best:

Social media is the new sloth machine:

• The scrolling = lever that you pull

• The post you see = slot machine results

• The posts you like = winning combination on the slot machine

• The time and attention you spend = money needed to keep on pulling the lever

But it is your problem - only YOU have control over your attention.

Becoming an Explorer

If you’re currently a zombie, no worries friend, I was there too.

Here are the solutions that helped me start living intentionally again!

Bandaids

Below are some strategies I used to take back control of my attention:

• Replacing the word “addiction” with “bad habit”

• Deleting all social media apps from my homepage & removing notifications

• Setting time blocks for social media usage

• Consuming intentionally

Bandaids are great to keep you on track because you get to see visible progress…

But they can only sustain for so long before they come off and the wound gets infected again.

This is why we must use bandaids while simultaneously work towards creating an antidote.

The Antidote: Building an Internal Compass

First things first, you DON’T have a mission - a goal that’s meaningful to you.

Of course you’re going to wander brainless-ly like a zombie

There’s no intention behind your actions!

Time to look internally and discover thy-self…

Things to consider:

• Self-discovery (identity)

• Lifestyle design (your most fun art project)

• Values (what do you stand for, believe in, your moral compass)

The only way to navigate in today’s zombie land is by having a strong sense of what you stand for and who you are.

Building an internal compass is the antidote to un-zombifying yourself.

Final Thoughts

Without a destination we risk getting distracted and falling into the trap of mindlessly scrolling.

I want you to be honest with yourself…

Do you scroll in hopes to get a dopamine hit?
To forget about the problems in your life?
Does it leave you drained without energy to win at life?

Nothing wrong with being unsatisfied with your life — it’s actually a calling for your purpose.

If you’re still here reading this — you’re ready to take on the battles ahead soldier.

Continue to explore & you will find how beautiful life can truly be.