The Biggest Problem of 21st Century

The most important thing that I realized in my life that has changed the way how I think, how I interpret everything. It was when I figured out what I call “The biggest problem of 21st century.”

When a 5-day test matches doesn’t excite you anymore because T20 is more fun.

Short term relationships and divorces are becoming more common then real relationship that lasts beyond lifetime.

More importantly, day (short term) trading looks more attractive and sensible then long term investing.

Waiting for just 5 days for a delivery from Amazon seems like a huge task. Hence they got you the new delivery system of next-day-delivery, or even 2 hour delivery for some of the products by paying a little extra.

As soon as you order, you start looking out of the window to see if the delivery man has arrived.

You go to the gym or start a working out at home, but you don’t see any result instantly and get disappointed. You don’t think much and just give up on it and move on with other task.

Then you decide to start something new again, like reading a good book but you constantly get messages on your phone. Distractions everywhere that doesn’t allow you to complete it.

Sooner or later, you find yourself busy watching another series of Netflix or YouTube that your friend suggested. Or maybe watching statuses on WhatsApp to kill time.

You see the problem?

Technology is a source that is being used to change our lives day-by-day. The problem is instant gratification.

The simple meaning of instant gratification is this: “We want all the pleasure of our lives now with minimum or no effort.

However, the reality is, all the great and valuable things in life take time. It made us abandon long-term thinking and leaving us even more disappointed mentally.

Our life is filled up with all the easy-things. We are so focused on instant rewards that we forget placing importance on the process – the actual work that goes in the background to achieve something.

If you don’t value your own time, nobody is going to value it either.

“The more you value your time today, the more valuable your time becomes tomorrow.”

A huge disbalance between the effort and reward

All of a sudden, you have a desire to eat something from outside. Before the rise of internet, have to dress up, call up few of your friends, get out of the house, find a good restaurant and then you get to consume.

All of these efforts are not needed anymore. You just have to open the app and place the order. That’s it! This is why, you’ll find more people with big tummies and small bank accounts now.

Previously, there were two kinds of people: “the Haves (wealthy) and the Have-Nots (middle-class). The Have-Nots thought that the only people who earn large income resulting in successful, luxury lifestyles are lucky, endowed with more brains or talents or born into wealthy families.”

But we all know, you don’t need special abilities to achieve something great. You just need strong willpower, dedication and persistent.

But the reality in today’s world is this:

“There are three types of people, the Haves, the Have-Nots and the Haves but not yet paid.”

This is the result of credit cards and instant loans that we can easily get to fulfil our desires. Why bother about earning or waiting when you can borrow?

“What leads most people into severe debt?” He asked me. “Trying to catch up and look like ones who’re already there” I said.

Let’s look at the real problems

Let me tell you a truth! They said internet is an invention that will save time. That’s true! But if we dig deep, we are putting our saved time + extra time in it, unknowingly.

Let me point out few of the common problem youngsters face:

• Short temper
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Significant loss of patience
• Mood swings
• Overspending, overeating any many more.
• Lastly, very important: Feeling of being a victim.

I have faced many of these problems earlier.

Hence, I personally tried an experiment of quitting social media for a few months – completely. Initially, I thought I was missing out on a lot of important news. However, the truth was something else. You can read the article on my experiment of quitting social media here.

When you’re young, you often think that your health and energy will be same forever.

If you feel what you have now will be with you forever. Then it makes sense that a man would take all the pleasure now, and do the work later.

That, however, we all know, is not true. You know you will grow older, your body will become weaker, and your mind will become slower.

Today, majority of the elders reaching their retirement age are failing. For they were only dependent on their children.

Now is it really that serious?

People who are average in life are very dangerous – for they make you one of them very subtly. “Why work hard”, and “Just chill and relax” are their slogans, but they are not different than a heroin addict who tries to get their friends addicted so that they do not feel alone in their addiction.

You might not realize the change they have bought in your daily-life. But when you look back, it’ll definitely be disappointing and saddening.

You will only be left with a damaged body, no real savings, no real relationships and more importantly negative mindset.

Instead, you can use your time into good use by:

• Doing regular exercise and eating healthy food.
• Building a business or a career or both.
• Acquiring or creating an asset that will pay you money and create wealth for the rest of your life. For real (financial) freedom.
• Creating true relationship that will support you through the ups and downs.
• Building your knowledge and wisdom via reading and learning.
• Investing your hard earned money so that your money works for you.

Final words

With this thought in mind, I leave you to explore your choices and live a life with a purpose. Achieve something that gives you true happiness and not just short term pleasure and regret later-on. Because the sands of time only fall downwards and in real life, there is no restart button.

“Do something today that your future-self will thank you for.”

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Until then, take care,

– Your well wisher.