More Counterintuitive Ideas

Continuing last week’s post, I’m sharing some more ideas today. I realized that the title “Paradoxical Truths” didn’t fit quite right for the essay, and the word I was looking for was ‘counterintuitive’.

So, here are ten more ideas that counter the conventional thought.

1. The less you attach yourself to the outcome, the higher the quality of your work.

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When you want a specific outcome, you try to strategize. This steals away the authenticity that makes your work truly yours. No wonder that the sequel to almost every great film is disappointing.

2. The reward for good work is more work.

If you are good at what you do, you are rewarded with money and recognition. But more often than not, you’re just rewarded with more work. Cause if you’re good at what you do, people will demand more of your time and attention.

You will start losing your freedom. So eventually, you will need to learn what’s worth your time and what needs to be let go.

3. The harder you try, the more you drive people away.

Relationship is a two-person game. So no matter how hard you try, you cannot force your way into a relationship. If it is meant to happen, it’ll happen effortlessly.

Moreover, desperation is evident. If you push too hard, the other person tends to move further away.

4. The more you know, the more you become aware of how much you don’t know.

Gathering more knowledge on a certain subject only uncovers new horizons and depths. The irony is that smart people think they know too little, while the foolish think they know so much.

5. You’re as relevant in the grand scheme of things as you’re irrelevant.

One day you take birth, another day you die. Nobody cared before you and nobody cares after your death. To the universe, you are just chemical scum on the earth’s crust, as irrelevant as a piece of stone.

But going by the theory of multiverse, you not being born would have led to a completely different universe. In fact, every action you take has a ripple effect that spreads across space and time leading to something drastic. Maybe clapping your hands can lead to a super nova explosion. So, I think it’s fair to say that you’re pretty relevant even in the grand scheme of things.

6. Every high has a subsequent low.

Alcohol ends with hangover. Post vacation blues are real. Partying with friends makes you feel lonely afterwards. Finishing a massive project takes away meaning from your life for some time. Basically, every pleasure activity that gives you a high, leads to an equal amount of dip in your mood.

7. Complexity is easy, simplicity is hard.

Simple ideas are easy to understand. Simple products are easy to use. Simplicity comes naturally during consumption. But it’s a different story when we talk about creation.

Creating simple products, conveying ideas in a simple manner is very hard. First draft is usually the longest and editing is mostly a process of removal. A good engineer effectively hides the complexity of the product from the end user.

8. Argument is won by the one who cares less.

If you care about the other person, you’d rather lose the argument than hurting their feelings. But if you don’t care, you win.

9. Price of freedom is discipline.

Discipline is the practice of doing what needs to be done irrespective of what you want. Freedom is the ability to do whatever you want.

It takes discipline to earn and sustain wealth. It takes discipline to maintain a healthy body. Money frees you from work obligations and buys you time. And if you’re healthy, only then you can enjoy the freedom.

So ultimately, it becomes a balancing act between doing what is necessary and doing what you want.

10. Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom.

Buddha had many disciples, but only Buddha could attain nirvana. That’s because a teacher or a book can only provide you the knowledge. It cannot provide you the experience mixed with the unique ability to perceive that experience.

If you’re inexperienced, if your worldview is narrow and your perception shallow, knowledge cannot take you very far.

What do you think of these ideas? Share your thoughts by replying to this email or by commenting on the website.

Good night!
Aachman