Do you know this feeling?
You hear on the internet how working hard and hustling is the key to success …
…and you also hear someone else talking about how resting and having a work-life balance is the key to .
You hear advice on how serving other people is the key to a happy life…
…and you also hear advice on how self-care is the key to a happy life.
The list goes on and on…
If you are anything like me, sometimes you struggle to deal with conflicting information.
Luckily, I have developed a 3-step framework to help do that:
Step 1 – Assess the sources
Most of the time, evaluating the sources will help you make a more informed decision.
Ask yourself these questions:
What’s this advice based upon?
Is it a personal opinion?
Is it a personal story?
Is it scientific evidence?
Did the source achieve the [result] using the advice he is suggesting?
Anyone can provide advice, and everyone does it in fact.
If a homeless person gives you advice on how to get rich, would you take it?
I suspect not.
Why? Because he has not achieved the ‘result’ he is advising, therefore there is no credibility.
The rule of thumb is:
If the source was not achieved [result] using the advice provided. It’s not a reliable source of information.
Sometimes the intentions are good. Doesn’t mean it’s good advice.
Step 2 – Find the Balance
2 things can be true at the same time.
Working hard is important to be successful — properly resting and free time is important to be successful.
Self-care is important to being happy — being selfless and helping others is important to being happy.
Being ambitious is important to achieve great things — being grateful for what you have is important to being happy.
It’s often not a question of choosing one over the other, but rather a question of balance.
This narrative of extreme beliefs is often propelled by the internet and social media.
Because the extremes are where the clicks and likes are. Not the more holistic and balanced beliefs.
Don’t feel inclined to always have to choose one extreme over the other. Find your balance and learn from your experience. Not everything in life is black or white, there are thousands of shades of grey in between.
Step 3 – Embrace the conflict
Sometimes, the best you can do is not have to make an opinion .
The truth is that opinions aren’t worth much at all.
Having no opinion will give you an important advantage in fact.
When you have no opinion you are at liberty to choose which side fits you best at any time.
When you commit to a belief, it’s not about finding the truth anymore, but proving that you are on the right side.
Normalize saying: “I have no opinion on that yet”
Bringing it home
The A-F-E Framework:
Step 1 – Assess the sources: if the source was not achieved [result] using the advice provided. It’s not a reliable source of information.
Step 2 – Find the Balance: not everything in life is black or white, find your balance and learn from your experience.
Step 3 – Embrace the conflict: sometimes, the best you can do is not have an opinion at all.
Choose one insight from today and take action on it.
Last week’s newsletter was about the 2 internal forces (The Expander and The Protector) and how to control them.
In case you missed it, here’s your chance to catch up → The 2 Internal Forces and How to Control Them💨
I hope you got something valuable in this edition of Curiosity Fuel, and thank you for reading, it means the world.
It’s always an honor to be in your inbox, until next Sunday. 👋
— Idris Moura
