ABSOLUTE ASCENDANCY

Commencing operation . . .

Overview

My 30th birthday just passed yesterday, and despite the coronavirus, I was able to enjoy the day playing board games online with some of my friends. It is also the first anniversary of Absolute Ascendancy! I thought it would be good to do a reflective piece on 30 life lessons I have learned along my journey, to celebrate these milestones.

30 Life Lessons

1. Hard Work does Pay Off
2. But it Might take Longer than Expected
3. Acceptance is Best when things are Laid to Rest
4. Make Use of Every Card that is Dealt
5. Information Assimilation
6. Intermittent Fasting
7. Know how to Swim
8. Take Cold Showers
9. Learn Self-Defence
10. Pick your Battles
11. Learn to Take the Hits
12. Train both Body and Mind
13. Sacrifice the Small Things to Make Room for the Big
14. Completionist is Inefficiency at its Finest
15. Shoot for the Stars
16. Decisiveness cuts through Doubt
17. Avoid and Eliminate Bad Habits at all Cost
18. Resist Temptation and Become Unstoppable
19. When the Majority do X, I do Y Instead
20. Cherish your Relationships
21. You are your Greatest Asset
22. But it is Okay to get Help when Needed
23. I am Not as Young as I Used to Be
24. Become Comfortable with the Reaper
25. Time is the One Constant
26. But Pace Yourself
27. Steer Clear from Toxic People
28. The Opposite of Depression is Expression
29. Imitate Successful People
30. The Tyrannical Emperor shall not Remain on the Throne

1. Hard Work does Pay Off

I am living, breathing proof of this, though many others in the world illustrate this fact. I was riddled with asthma from an early age, physically weak, and struggled educationally. Despite all of these debilitations, I turned everything around.

2. But it Might take Longer than Expected

However, it took many years of arduous, gruelling effort to get to where I am today. Lasting strength takes time to forge. Power attained quickly, vanishes just as swiftly! So take your time and apply a consistent, sustainable effort toward whatever means you wish to apply yourself.

3. Acceptance is Best when things are Laid to Rest

It could be anything. A lost relationship, a broken device, or perhaps things just did not go to plan . Many times in my life as I am sure in yours also, misfortune has struck. It is frustrating when such disasters reveal themselves, but all you can do is accept the situation for what it is and push forward. Anything else is wasteful.

4. Make Use of Every Card that is Dealt

As the saying goes, it is not the cards you are dealt, but how you play them. Life deals out all manner of situations, some pleasant, others not so much. There is value in every card you are given, however. Even the weakest of cards can become the strongest depending on the circumstances and how they are used.

5. Information Assimilation

We live in the age of digital information where you can find anything you need to know via a quick internet search. Because knowledge is so widespread and easily accessible, the skill to process and assimilate the data in an easy to understand and usable format becomes valuable.

This is the new way of learning.

6. Intermittent Fasting

I started incorporating the 16:8 intermittent fasting strategy since late 2018 after I had researched the benefits regular fasting has on the human body. Even before formally adopting the practice, for a few years prior, I was pretty close to following the 16:8 strategy most of the time. These days, the 16:8 principle is standard practice for me, and only on rare occasions do I break out of the routine.

A few weeks after formally abiding by the 16:8 method, I dropped a couple of kilos without any noticeable loss of strength. My mental focus also increased as I learned to transmute my hunger to eat into a desire to succeed. It does take some time for the body to adapt to the change in lifestyle, but once it does, you’re golden. It should take a few weeks or a month at most to implement intermittent fasting successfully.

7. Know how to Swim

Unless you plan to never go anywhere near a large body of water, you should know how to at least keep yourself afloat. Accidents happen, and drowning is a potentiality you want to avoid.

I admit that I am not the best of swimmers, but I can swim and tread water to stay afloat. Not to mention what if a friend of yours was drowning? Would you be forced to stand helplessly on the sideline as they die?

Learn to swim; it literally could save your life.

8. Take Cold Showers

Dousing yourself in freezing water will get your heart pumping! The elevated heart rate creates improved blood flow throughout the body, flushing out trapped toxins with greater ease. Cold showers also increase your respiratory circulation as well! You will enjoy enhanced breathing committing to regular cold showers.

9. Learn Self-Defence

Every human should, at the bare minimum, have a basic level of self-defence. I explain in much further detail the reasons why everyone should be able to defend themselves in this article.

10. Pick your Battles

Not all things are worth fighting for. No one has the energy to fight for every single cause they believe in constantly. Also, the cost of victory can be greater than the effort expended to attain it. A Pyrrhic victory as it is so-called. Sometimes it is better to admit the fault is your own and maintain a harmonious relationship with someone else, rather than fighting to the bitter end, and severing ties.

11. Learn to Take the Hits

There are two types of people in this world. Those who stay within their sphere of comfort and those who seek to expand their horizons. Be the second kind. Sure, you will experience discomfort through such ventures, but this is natural, and it will help you weather the storms life throws your way. I would much rather proactively work on strengthening and preparing myself as best I can for whatever adversity comes my way than sit around and wait for the storm to hit. The more discomfort you experience (voluntary or otherwise), the more resilient you become.

12. Train both Body and Mind

Coming from a place where I once had neither trained to having both polished, I have to say the latter is much better. One without the other leads to weakness in some areas.

“The society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.” – Thucydides

Work on both and become a well-rounded individual.

13. Sacrifice the Small Things to Make Room for the Big

There is a theory which states that all individuals have a capacity limit for all things in life. If your life is completely full, you cannot make room for anything new. Take periodic moments to organise all aspects of your life. Get rid of those things which no longer serve a purpose and allow space for new things to come in.

14. Completionist is Inefficiency at its Finest

Pareto’s Law states that 80% of a result is determined through 20% of your efforts. This can be applied to both positive and negative aspects. You can say that 80% of your problems come from 20% of sources. Talking about completionists, however, who strive for 100%, you can see that to generate that final 20% to reach perfection, they would need to expend 80% more effort. To put it another way, four times as much energy for a gain of one fifth. This is a horrendously ineffective proposition to live by.

15. Shoot for the Stars

That is not to say you should set your sights low, however. Aim high for perfection with the expectation that you will fall a little off the mark, and end up with greatness instead. Chasing perfection is not worth it in the long run. You will see your results as a failure more often than not, which will only lead to self-discouragement.

16. Decisiveness cuts through Doubt

Procrastination is one of the biggest killers of ambition and dreams.

• Procrastination leads to indecision.
• Indecision leads to doubt.
• Doubt leads to fear.
• And fear leads to the death of all dreams.

The best way I have found to avoid falling into this deadly trap is to take decisive action by making decisions quickly and implementing them swiftly. There is a balance to be had between quick and deep thinking, but I believe that too often the case people fall into the over-analysis trap and succumb to procrastination. I would instead prefer fast-paced decisions at the risk of mistake through action, rather than overthink things and suffer a mistake through inaction.

Having said that, misdirected action can be more disastrous than standing still, so as I mentioned earlier, a balance should be maintained. My point is that whenever I fall into doubt, the best countermeasure I have developed is to commit to a decision and act immediately.

Once you decide, take immediate action!

17. Avoid and Eliminate Bad Habits at all Cost

I was fortunate in that I never got into any crazy bad habits growing up. I had an obsession with video games, but my parents kept that in check with a weekend-only gaming enforcement. Even in my later years, I steered clear from situations that could sabotage my wellness. I avoided the vile poisons that are alcohol and drugs. I heavily minimise the usage of my smartphone, keeping it only for the most basic of functionality.

Forgetting everything else, just by adhering to this principle, puts me ahead of the game in comparison to many people. It is not only about cultivating good, healthy habits but also killing off the bad. I would go as far as to advise anyone starting on self-development to first eliminate their bad habits first before establishing good ones.

18. Resist Temptation and Become Unstoppable

The Devil has absolutely nothing on you if he cannot bait you. Existing only metaphysically, it truly is mind over matter when dealing with the Devil. I know how difficult it can be to keep temptation at bay. While preparing for a fight, I voluntarily sacrifice my beloved biscuits. In my younger years, I would forgo leisure to study. It is tough going, but greatness demands a steep price, as those who cannot pay will not go the distance.

Let me tell you now that I am certainly no saint, not at all! I have succumbed to temptation on many occasions! But I also know how empowering it is to laugh in the face on the Devil and walk away from his temptations!

Delaying instant gratification brings lasting happiness. 

19. When the Majority do X, I do Y Instead 

Defiant by nature, I love disproving people! My peers rejected me as a child, which is likely when this defiance began to fester within. This transitioned into my adult life with respect to authority figures. I find it difficult to follow orders unless they are from people I respect.

A position of power alone does not earn my respect. Unless the individual were also in reasonably health, my attitude towards them would falter. Being forced to work underneath people who were subjectively less intelligent or objectively less healthy than me was a struggle.

I prefer to do things my way, rather than by the book. As a loose rule, whatever the majority lean toward, I stay away from. Most people are mediocre at best, in accordance with the law of averages. So why then would I partake with the majority and limit myself?

20. Cherish your Relationships

I spent much of my early life without many friends. Most found me a pest initially. In their defence I certainly was an annoying troll, so I admit I did myself little favour on that front. In general, I do not think I am a likeable person, however, I found that there were people who warmed up to me eventually.

I made some solid friendships in secondary school and beyond, some of which have stood the test of time to this very day. I can be challenging to understand, wildly unpredictable and unorthodox. Yet I have found people who accept me for what I am, and while we may have varying opinions on certain things, we don’t let those differences get in the way of our friendship.

I may tend toward solitude, but I value the friendships I have established over the years.

21. You are your Greatest Asset

Ultimately, you are your best asset. It is by your own hand that you will either rise or fall. I am a firm believer in the power of individual effort and self-improvement. For this reason, investing in yourself is the best investment you will ever make. 

22. But it is Okay to get Help when Needed

This is a lesson I have come to terms with more so in the past few years. Believe me, if I could do it all on my own, I would. I understand now that sometimes it is best to call for backup when things become too much for me to handle on my own. I consider it a last resort, but it is one that I am more willing to implement these days.

23. I am Not as Young as I Used to Be

Since my mid-twenties, I have noticed my body slowly fall into decline. It is a gradual process, but it has begun. My body is slower to heal, and it takes longer for me to warm up properly. Gone are the days when I could simply jump into action.

I never thought I would suffer from chronic back pain, given my highly athletic nature, but disaster struck at the end of 2018, through to the middle of 2019. I can no longer take my youth for granted and have to take extra measures in looking after my ageing body.

Writing this makes me sound like a cripple, which is far from the case! I just need to be more careful going forward.

24. Become Comfortable with the Reaper

By which I mean the concept of death. Many are afraid to die, but by embracing death instead of hiding from it, a richer life can be lived. I visualise myself dying every single day, through various means. I condition myself in this way so that when the reaper does visit, I will be ready. That is not to say I want to die, but I am prepared to accept death, whenever it comes.

25. Time is the one Constant

All other factors in life will vary, but all humans, from the mightiest to the slackers, share the same 24 hours each day. Let us not ruin the quote by breaking into quantum physics and claiming that time is relatively perceived by each individual. It’s not that you do not have enough time; it’s that you have not prioritised yourself effectively.

26. But Pace Yourself

I like to take 30 minutes out of each day to meditate and allow myself to settle down before attending to the tasks of the day. There is no need to rush and often haste makes waste. Speed kills. Take your time and run your own race without comparing it to anyone else.

27. Steer Clear from Toxic People

Life is challenging enough as it is without unwarranted drama thrown into the mix. Some people feed on the turmoil of others and enjoy the chaos. Once upon a time, I likely had some of these tendencies. I was a petulant, attention-seeking brat, but as I have aged, I much prefer peace and quiet. Occasionally I will step into the fray, but for the most part, I am happy lurking in the shadows.

28. The Opposite of Depression is Expression

Intuitively, I think I have known this for a long time, but when I heard the words, it became crystal clear on a conscious level. I express my soul through my writing, my martial arts, and my music. All of these things keep depression at bay. Find a way to express yourself, and sorrow will crumble before you. The greatest joy in life lies in what you create and not what you consume, so less Netflix and more self-expression.

29. Imitate Successful People

I have discovered that a great way to shortcut yourself to success is to find successful people and copy what they do. If you emulate precisely what they do, then there is no reason that successful results won’t roll in. It may take a bit of time because you may not have the influential reach that successful people have but follow their processes, and in time, you will receive their successes.

“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” –Isaac Newton

30. The Tyrannical Emperor shall not Remain on the Throne

Throughout my life, pretty much every time I have tried to force an outcome to go my way, it has backfired in my face. Over the years, I have learned not to push my agendas so much and accept that much of life is beyond my control. Go with the flow, and whatever happens, trust that a solution exists.

Conclusion

Well, I have officially crossed over to the other side now. Farewell youth, it was nice knowing you! I look forward to seeing where my 30’s end up taking me and what new lessons I will gain along the way.

Mission complete – Overlord Drakow signing out.