A contradiction exists; many would like an end game to exist, a "top of the pyramid" that they can reach, and look down upon the world from. Yet, the reason why most do not advocate an end game is because once you let the idea settle, once you've reached this pinnacle, you fear the risk of losing that motivation and becoming complacent. You risk thinking you are done and you can get lazy on the world.

This fear is actually negligible. One who has reached such pinnacles has been through more trials and tribulations than can be imagined. He has thought of giving up on the idea more times than he knows. Has abandoned goals that were too lofty, for ones that were more on par with reality. And at the end of it all, he understands the very contradiction he feared enough to laugh at himself.

I truly believe that there is one ultimate goal. There is no end game, as many like to say, but I believe there is. The end game is to become the best that you can become. And I don't just mean your worth to the external world, i mean internally to yourself as well. How fulfilled you truly are. How "happy" you are. You see, this is how you become the prize. And a paradox exists; one with which you are so fulfilled that you need nothing, not tangible or otherwise. And when you become this way, you look to no one, for anything... yet, everyone looks to you.

And when you've reached it, you are this. And life couldn't be another way. You don't want to throw the towel in, even though you thought all along how glorious it would feel to finally be at the point where you could.

1.

I believe the number step to this is creating a life that is completely outcome independent and the furthest thing from needy. It is the time spent alone, it is the time spent working and fulfilling yourself, become grateful for yourself and the opportunities that have been placed in front of you.

Looking back at yourself and smiling because you can see years of hard work in your past. The days when you thought you were too exhausted to prevail or get up and finish what you started, yet you did anyway. Even when you let procrastination get the best of you for five minutes, you noticed it, and picked yourself back up. This in itself is fulfillment.

And, if you remember nothing else, remember this: in essence, you must become okay with what you have, whilst also jumping on, and being open to, every opportunity that presents itself as an edge. This means to keep your mind open to opportunity, to remain hungry, but to understand your hunger, and that there are several means to curb it.

2.

Understand the idea that relying on any person, woman or man, no longer exists. That you have become the sole provider for you wants and needs. And anytime you look to place blame on anyone, you should reiterate your position in the loop. You are the ultimate judge of character. You are the decision maker for the responsibility you place in another persons hands, mentally and physically speaking. Accepting this idea puts pressure on you, but also grants you the ability to only give people enough rope to hang themselves, but not enough to hang you.

3.

When you set goals, set them one tier higher. Most times you may (you're going to) fall short of the goal, but you've done something remarkable setting standard higher. When you race against people that are slower than you, you will always win. When you race against people faster than you, you will most likely lose. But you'll run a hell of a lot faster in the latter. Eventually, you may not be the one losing, anymore.

4.

You have come to a place where you truly feel at peace with yourself. You've come to a place where you truly are okay with spending the rest of your life alone, the thought doesn't scare you one bit.

5.

When terrible things occur in your life, and they will, you have resources to help you. I do mean a bad week, a death, or a series of fucked up events. For example, there may come a point where you can't get 8 hours of sleep, and you go through some sleepless nights. Maybe your total sleep for 4 days will be 10 or 15 hours. Your mood and reactions will greatly change due to this. When it does, do you have the proper tools to help you? When you are stuck between a rock and a hard place financially, physically, or mentally, do you have the proper tools to help you? Yes, you always do. Notice how it is the fear leading up to these events, the ramping up, that scares us the most. Notice how it's our mood or mind state that controls much of our reactions and mental processing.

What is the most painful part of torture? (this isn't a first hand account, its just what I've gathered from stories I've read of POW's being tortured.) It is not the torture itself, it is the moments leading up to it, the anticipation of it. When the torture actually begins, the person has given up, they have become warn, and they go mad. And this is all true because they've become okay with torture and accepted their fate. They couldn't bare to fear the act of the torture anymore, as they have inadvertently tortured them self in the process. When they go mad, they don't care what happens to them and when the one who does the torturing notices, they realize they can no longer get what they want from the person.

6.

You're not worried about searching for happiness, or about your happiness. You come to realize the word is derived from a mood and mind state. That the affect things have on you is based upon this mood, and you've come to control your mood understanding that it is your responsibility to learn how to and do just that. With this, it doesn't matter what is happening, or where you are, you are happy regardless. And you are patient and understanding, yet quick to act when necessary.

In conclusion:

When these things have come to fruition, you're living life, not looking behind or forward. This is the end game. Your are this.