Hello everyone,

First of all, this is my very first post in the TRP sub so please, don't go gentle on me. Feedback, and especially the brutal one is more than welcome!

I am a high school student, a failed high school student, from a third world country (sucks, but that's card I've been dealt). I failed my classes 3 times and am still trying. I am usually a very stoic person but yesterday I had my very first anxiety/panic attack: Could no longer breath, was shivering and shaking uncontrollably -- Basically I had no control over my body. It controlled me. Maybe it's exam anxiety, right ? Well, no.

I have been under a lot of stress as of the last months (not complaining, simply stating facts): I've spent the last 6-4 months building my company (though, it helps that I have an older cofounder and she's very supportive) and studying as hard as I can which meant I had but two things in my life: My studies and my work. No going out, no days off, nada. Just work study, work study, work study. Yesterday my body just hit its limits.

At first I didn't accept it, I went fully science-y on it (like this is due to hormones, on top of that I was fasting which meant I have low levels of sugar in blood etc...) but in my heart of hearts I knew that I was lying to myself: the hamster has gone crazy.

Having set the context, let's get a bit closer to the meat of the story.

One might ask, at least a voice in my head do:

Why the fuck are you doing this, you stupid little fuck, you've read Seneca's letter THRICE, you still have all the time in the world ! Slow. The. Fuck. Down.

Well for one, I have two guys that I need to out-compete (Elon Musk and yesterday's version of myself) and two, because that's simply who I am and even more so, because I am a member of the fucking red pill. A place where nothing short of perfect is expected.

Well, surprise surprise... I didn't listen so my body decided to make itself heard. It's like that song "My mind is telling me no, but my body keeps telling me yes..." (except, in reverse this time haha).

Now to the meat of the story

  • You are mortal buddy. Remember that. ALWAYS.

Memento fucking mori you stupid fuck.

  • The human body, your body has limitations. You can't circumvent them (although sometimes you can) but you CAN (and should) avoid getting to the edge.

Note: "The edge" isn't a fixed location, nor is it even a location in the first place, it's a mental construct.

  • You have a brain use it.

I was "lucky" yesterday to stumble upon a video that naval put up where he basically discusses compound interest: he said that in the intellectual sphere (as in, your brain) that's the place where compound interest rules! Translation: 1 brain-hour > 1 physical-hour.

  • There is a price for everything.

All in all, I am absolutely not complaining, I am simply stating some facts and sharing my own personal experience. If I was to do it all over again, I would.