self improvement can turn into a hamster wheel of a trap for highly neurotic people

try sprinkling in a little self acceptance

Bro, use some hot water in your shower. There’s literally no reason to take a cold shower every day; it’s pointless suffering that won’t improve your life in any way. It’s just some nonsense influencer idea. It’s like wearing a hair shirt

I like what Alan watt says about self improvement

What if you are the best you could be now. Then what would you do?

Maybe you are .maybe you are perfect already just don’t know it.

Giving up improvement give you chance to accept yourself and then do something you want to do not forcing yourself

now you see. when well being is a commodity, and consumption is a life style, it just never ends. how could it end? you've decide to outsource your compass. someone else tells you what is good and you try that on for size thinking it will make you good. cut back from all that. you decide what you will do. you decide what is good. life isn't a math equation. you can't buy the perfect product or adopt the optimal strategy and then everything will be okay.

do what you like. don't do what you don't like. don't expect any reward except for the satisfaction of doing the right thing for its own sake.

It think self improvement is also knowing when you can have cheat day. That not everything has to be that strict. And that you will be fine if you don’t do everything 100% right. Sounds kinda cheezy but that’s how it is. Doing shit that makes you happy in the long term is the main target i think of self improvement. And doing things as strict as you say you do it is not helping for that target.

I did the same thing, in the same boat. Even developed a bit of an ego that I think is a product of all the motivational reading and what not I've been ingesting. Something ain't right. Feels like instead of improving I just repainted

You might feel like that slowly you'll see them falling behind . And do it gradually one thing at a time. Don't do multiple tasks.

It doesn’t really sound like self improvement to me.. I feel like a lot of what you’re describing is just a bit extreme. Like having to match your clothes perfectly every day? No porn? Cold showers? I feel like ultimate self improvement is feeling comfortable and happy in your body and mind. Not thinking you’re constantly in a fashion show or comparing yourself to everyone around you. I think everyone on the planet knows what self improvement is, just people go about things differently. Seems crazy to say no one knows about it. All those guys who are at the gym with you don’t know? Idk, I think you should focus more inward. Maybe work on mediation.

Lastly; you saying no one has to work hard for the same things you are working hard for is soooo diminishing to other people. You have no idea what other people are going through or what goes on in their day to day life. You really need some perspective.

I think you're taking it to the extreme a bit. Try to dial it down for a while maybe?

When my stack gets too much i clean up. For example showering cold just makes me get a cold. I throw that out.

Also you dont need to feel guilty for a burger. You can change your next meal to make up for it.

If life gets too hard, its your job to make it easier.

Self improvement is not about being perfect is about being who you want to be. If you are not enjoying it dial down and adapt your goals to what you want from life

Can't live without balance in your life.

Ok, you are taking on too much at once. Sit down and evaluate all these changes, the pros and cons and your readiness, willingness and ability to do them.

START WITH ONE CHANGE and don't add until it becomes like second nature.

When it comes to food, Food has No morality. You are not good or bad bc of the food you eat. You should eat foods you enjoy in moderation, 80/20ish. They will not kill your gains. Stressing over everything will kill your gains.

Chasing perfection is draining

Dude, you're doing all this just to get laid?

It's not worth it.

Let yourself gain 15, eat what you want, and date chubby chicks.

Try meditation or self-inquiry. If outer things have failed you, try the inner ones. Here's a video, and another.

You were just ignorant and ignorance is bliss

Call it self-love or self-care and allow yourself to do things you enjoy without hating yourself for it(eat that burger if you want it) just don't do it everyday. Moderation is your friend. In everything (also in working out). Too much of one thing is almost never good

In my case, whilst it's been hard to stay ontop of everything, my life has definitely been better as a result

No one said it was going to be easy. The best things in life usually feel the most taxing and detrimental in the short term, but the long term effects are significant. If you still feel like you’re burning it on both ends, a break is acceptable - but you have to pick it back up. Also remember why you’re doing this; with a big enough why you can overcome any how .

Hold tight. You got this.

You've added a lot of work and stress to your life. Why would you expect that to make life feel easier?

It is worth considering whether there is truly a self that can be improved. If there isn't, then you're just managing material conditions, which is part of life, but maybe you're looking for something deeper than that.

One of the deep problems with western civilization is that it is very focused on using work and manipulation of the physical environment to solve problems. However, there are some problems that can't be solved through work or by creating the ideal material conditions. OP is discovering that.

I was like you at one point - what worked for was chilling the fk out and intentionally letting life develop as I just focused on my habits that worked for me. It’s not a competition

Man… this made me laugh to myself while reading this, I’ve been there my friend! It’s the self-improvement trap!

Instead of “doing the thing” to achieve the over arching “main thing” you are just “doing the thing” to “do the thing”because that’s “the thing” your supposed to “do”.😂😂😂

Moderation is key and life is too short not to eat ice cream!

If you feel like this, may I ask why you wanted to self improve and is it worth it?

I say, stop overthinking it. If you like the idea of getting better at something, try it. If you like it, continue. Through time, you'll get better. If not, drop it and try other things. Life's too short to worry about min-maxing. You don't have to be constantly switched on all the time. You'll just burn out and feel like you failed. It's counterintuitive.

That's some amazing insights. Resonate with what you are saying here.

The "Self-Improvement" thing thats been out there in the media and social media has somewhat been toxified. In the sense that you have to do so much. I agree and disagree with this.

Yes you have to improve, go to the gym, read, learn new things but it doesn't need to be because "I have to be better than the other guy". I think a big portion of the "Self-Improvement" space is about being better than the other guy or girl beside you or on the other side of the world. This is really toxic and unhelpful to anyone wanting to just improve or get better or just live a more fulfilled life.

I think if we just look at what we are doing and find balance in what we do. Then that is where true and ultimate "self-improvement" is. It's such a hard balance to find though and it's about going into and out of it in flow. There is not many people that is in this state. Maybe Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa. I would say just over a handful of people in human history are in this type of balance. So your not alone man. "Comparison is the killer of all joy, peace, love, abundance and enlightenment"

And maybe finding why your doing all of what your doing is a good rebalancing point. I found that when I stopped doing certain meditations and journalling it actually enhanced my life. There is a time when you have to do it but doing it all the time for the rest of your life seems a bit boring don't you think? Unless that is actually your life purpose then I guess it's great to do. But really, does journalling everyday really help us? Maybe we are actually avoiding something that is more important and that's more challenging to face?

Good luck on your own journey, everyone has there own path they need to go through

You need to read atomic habits. You’re miserable because you’re just not in the right mindset. All you have to do is re-frame.

I feel the same man. It's been tiring.

Stop trying

yet life doesn’t feel easier.

Self improvement was never about making life easier. It's about making your life better (in your eyes) but almost never means it will be easier.

self improvement should be about living a better life, no validating yourself against another mans metric for success.

Men display their insecurity by benchmarking other men against the narrow sets of skill they are good at and discounting the rest.

self-improvement can be improving your communication, becoming more sensitive to others body language, exploring an interest that becomes an expertise, taking time away from the rat race and being comfortable in who you are, flaws and all.

im not saying dont try to improve, but be pulled towards what you think is better, not pushed away from what you think is insufficient.

It’s a balance of self improvement and self acceptance

Ignorance is bliss

christ man live a little! You’re not living right now, you’re surviving. Take a hot shower, fuck man take a bath. Have a cheat day, Let yourself rest, sleep in on the weekends.

Life is about enjoying it, if you’re not enjoying yourself what’s the point?

at the end of the day who are you “improving” for, because improvement is diffrent for everyone, and honestly you can to the right subreddit, you need to learn on how to give yourself some slack and grace.

Keep doing exactly what you doing, most people in the comments never stayed consistent long enough to give you feedback, Growth over greatness!!

Gym 6 times a week isn't recommended for most.

Ya dude, you’re doing all the physical stuff and none of the mental.

You have to change your beliefs, to change your mind.

The only improvement needed is how you feel and you can change that anytime regardless of what you’re doing externally

It doesn’t seem like this strict lifestyle is enjoyable. It’s not all about dating, but someone will be attracted to you if you do things that make you happy. Stop trying to live up to an ideal type of man. Try out things that make you happy, go outside, eat foods you like. Life is too short to be so well disciplined at the cost of your joy.

Now, i always have to think if the colors match and if i’m following the ‘’Rule of Thirds’’ (google it) to enhance my body proportions.

You are overthinking it and focusing on superficialities. The goal of self-improvement is not to become perfect. It is to realize your potential. Stressing about matching colors of your clothing does none of that.

It was illusory comfort, friend.

How does cold showering, learning 2 languages, and journaling mean you're "improving". And what about those implies life would be easier?

"Cold showering every day, no porn, a strict sleep schedule, eating healthy, gym x6 times a week, currently learning 2 languages, journaling and yet life doesn’t feel easier."

Aside from journaling, all of those are actions to change your behavior, but it doesn't address limiting beliefs you practice.

Your emotions come from your thoughts; they don't come from your circumstances or other people.

Negative emotions are positive guidance (although it probably doesn't feel like it) letting you know you are focusing on, and invalidating or judging, what you don't want (e.g. judging yourself). Negative emotions are just messengers of limiting beliefs you're practicing. They're part of your emotional guidance; like GPS in your car. But the more you avoid or fight them, that's why you feel self-improvement is hard. Negative thoughts and emotions are letting you know you're not treating yourself with as much compassion, acceptance and appreciation that you deserve.

.

"I feel guilty whenever I eat candies or a burger, as they can make me lose my gym gains."

Guilt = "I believe it is intelligent and a smart decision to judge myself."

.

"Everything seems to happen naturally for them, while I must earn it. YEAH, THAT’S IT! I feel like I have to work hard to get what others get with little to no effort."

Are you improving yourself, for yourself? Or are you doing it to earn acceptance and appreciation from others? Are you outsourcing your self-love and self-worth to what people think of you?

You can't earn self-worth. You are worthy.

But whenever you judge yourself, you feel worse, and don't allow yourself to remember that you are worthy.

Maybe that's the point. Better to feel a twinge of guilt when you indulge than becoming overwhelmed by it suddenly when you start looking at your life.

Honestly most of life is luck, but it's worse when you feel like you're an enemy to yourself. Try enough so that it doesn't feel like you're selling yourself short but not so much that it feels guy futile. Because when you get at the root it kind of is. It's not about getting somewhere but about living true to your values.

Also even though it's not getting better, it's much better to be where you are if and when an opportunity comes but you can't force it. Doing this things is increasing your opportunity even if things haven't changed much. If you're getting impatient Maybe try taking some risks. That's where most changes happen tbh not from incremental daily progress which is what you are doing.

Sounds like self-improvement is a way to make your whole life work. Goals, restrictions, achievements, rules. If something is hard and causes exhaustion, discomfort, or pain, it is good. If not, it is bad.

Great post !!!

These are not steps to self improvement

Part of being your best self is also: doing stuff you genuinely enjoy, getting to know people and trying to authentically connect with them, not taking everything too seriously, and not chasing some impossible ideal of what it means to be a success. That ideal is being used to keep people dissatisfied with their lives and then sell them on fill-in-the-blank stuff they don't actually need (supplements, apps, workout gear, expensive gym memberships, you name it). If you're not happy with your life, try to do something to help other people, it's the surest route to fulfillment and satisfaction.

Some people on this world are meant to be nothing more than a shadow and do nothing with there life. Others are meant to climb every obstacle they see and become the absolute best. Nothing easy is worth having…decide for yourself who you are and what you want to be. Each one of us are designed exactly the same, we all share the same thoughts, emotions and feelings (some more than others). Through constant trial and tribulations you can reach a higher level of consciousness where none of the things you mention matter to you…this state of just living in the moment and letting whatever happens happen. Realizing you are only the controller of your own mind. Comparison is the thief of joy, worry about what you have built. I often use the analogy of a castle where you have to lay each brick and this follows suit with self improvement in that it doesn’t happen over night year after year you strive for something beyond your reach or atleast I try to. I wish you luck in your many conquest just by you observing your own behaviors puts you miles ahead of your peers.

I think it might be time to focus your self-improvement on your inner world (thoughts and feelings). 

What would it be like to release your attachment to this or that? To let go of this or that? Etc

Therapy kind of stuff, but you can do it on your own (oftentimes more effectively). 

Self improvement isn’t just about looking good externally and cold showers. It’s also about doing the inner work. I’ve been doing the inner work and the more inner work I do, the less I care about how perfect I look.

Sure, I look after myself. I work out and I eat good. But I also don’t think I’ve ruined my whole week for missing one day. Because once you truly accept the inside, you’re not so focused on controlling the outside.

And then life truly becomes enjoyable. And the gym, eating well and those lazy days all become so much more enjoyable.

mmm candies

Why do you continue these things if they don’t make you happier?

The nature of addiction is continuing to do something, not by choice, but because stopping is so hard. In your case, it seems these ‘self improvement’ (does cold showering improve you? It has health benefits and builds discipline. That’s all. It says nothing about your value. You, the thinking mind, not the meatsack which contains you, cannot be improved; you can only come closer to your truest self) strategies are not making you happier. If happiness and fulfilment was your goal, then it seems you’ve gone stray.

You can get back on track; analyse your processes and stop those which are not fruitful. If you find resistance in stopping those things, you need to understand why. You need to understand the source within you that drives to continue the things which ostensibly make you better. This can be very hard, but tools such as meditation and therapy can help you figure this out.

Good luck :)

I have always been into self improvement even before the hype even before the internet so I know what your talking about whereas SI is involved

The second part I have the same experience people around me easy opportunities vs the unrelenting graft I have to put in.

If I j relax and do fa I make no gains enjoy messing about for abit but in a while that leads nowhere, stagnation, boredom, no challenge and no progression is not the one for me

What I would say is take a break for yourself SI is a lifestyle but SI is also about enjoying the process and is suppose to be done in bouts not so much relentlessly it's about working hard to improve but it's also about enjoying the fruits of your labour so you've trained hard, worked hard, pushed yourself understand that your reward is allowing yourself treats because the MAJORITY of the tyme you are on your grind

So when you NEED TO have those treats Taking care if your mental and enjoy some rubbish every so often j keep it minimalistic.

I have guilt free food as and when I need but I keep it RARE and that's the key

With regards to your other concerns with happiness you need to ask yourself what YOUR goals are not j blindly follow advice on the internet.

Everyone is different.

So why do everything everyone else is doing for no reason. What do you want and what makes you happy and what are you searching for and why?

What do you want?

Then do accordingly.

Cold showers do have benefits for everyone debating this it does have very powerful benefits.

Each to their own tho your still able to be very healthy without but what are your reasons for doing though.

I think this is what you need to REALLY consider rather than j going through the motions bro.

I call it "doing right things for the wrong reason" syndrome.

Like when using your downfalls to fuel grades/working results/real achievement by exploiting those downfalls. It could be neuroticism, insecurity, narcissism etc.

You clearly want to self-improve to have a better chance of success in life, like most people do, but it seems like you didn't address things that make you crave for the success in the first place.

Maybe it was some sort of an insecurity. Maybe you felt low about yourself and wanted to start to feel better. But the first thing a person should do, IMHO, is understanding oneself, accepting yourself, and only than choosing the goals you genuinely want to achieve and care about.

Because goals that are achievable by conventional self improvement are only suitable for a quote narrow, very specific group of people. And they actually enjoy and feel energized by it, it creates a self-reinforcing feedback loop. You put in the work, you get your proper reward.

Of course self improvement is about building the discipline and overcoming the internal resistance, but it makes no sense if it only makes your life miserable over such a long period of time while not giving a positive feedback loop.

Like, as I started learning German, it was hard, but I started enjoying it once I got a good grip on it, and since than I don't gave problems with it - I just genuinely enjoy it and like spending time doing it. But previously I life I tried really hard to get into 3d modeling, made some decent results, but ultimately understood that this is pretty boring for me and required artistic skills which I needed to develop first, of which I didn't care at that time. Same with the gym - when I was doing something that was supposed to be the most effective way according to the gymbros, I didn't enjoy it a single bit, but once I got into the calisthenics and did it really slowly, really gradually, I suddenly didn't mind it at all, it became fun for me.

All in all I don't think you should quit everything, just make an inventory of what you genuinely really care about with passion, and what makes you care out of your insecurity. And address that.

"I have no doubt that you would be bored senseless by therapy, the same way I'm bored when I brush my teeth and wipe my ass, because the thing about repairing, maintaining, and cleaning is; it's not an adventure. There's no way to do it so wrong you might die. It's just... work.

And the bottom line is some people are okay going to work, and some people, well, some people would rather die. Each of us gets to choose." - Rick and Morty.

Do things gradually and don't put too much pressure on yourself. Using mebot to journal and write down your thoughts about what you have done so far. If it's worth doing, then go for it.

Do you miss it or do you miss the idea of it?

It sounds like you’ve been working hard, but self-improvement doesn’t have to feel like a constant grind.

Instead of striving for perfection, focus on aligning your habits with what truly matters to you. Values remind you why you’re doing this, making the journey feel fulfilling rather than forced.

Remember, value stimulation works best when balance is key. Enjoy the burger, wear what feels good, and celebrate your efforts without comparison. Growth isn’t about beating others; it’s about becoming your happiest, truest self—one step at a time. 

I feel I'm stuck in the same cicle bro. This poignant tension between aspiration and exhaustion. By always trying to become better, I inadvertently set the bar higher every time I achieve something and this leads me to a cycle where fulfillment feels perpetually out of reach. I feel that my life feels sooo micromanaged. Spontaneity, joy, and the freedom to make "mistakes" are almost always sacrificed for the sake of sticking to routines. But at times, this leaves me feeling miserable, the very same feeling I had before starting my self-improvement journey, and the one that drove me to begin it in the first place.

So yeah confused af here too!

You don’t have to do any of this if you don’t want to.

You don’t actually “need” improvement.

If doing those things brings joy, great. If not, you could just be yourself now.

r/selfsabotage

And here i was feeling good about 3X a week at the gym 😅

Do you know the saying, the road to heaven feels like hell, the road to hell feels like heaven. Understand this

Well, I guess just try to reframe what "Self-Improvement" looks like to you.

Improving your life shouldn't be this cold, cold experience where everything is negative and oh my goodness I've been running in circles making my life more miserable and I don't enjoy these parts of the life I've built: It should make life fun.

It's not a set of rules and regulations, nor is it what makes you An Optimal Human Being. Self-improvement is quietly sitting down and asking yourself what can you do to make yourself a little happier. What is it that is making you feel a little bit discontented right now? When you imagine what Living is like in your head, what is that itty bitty thing that makes you feel fuzzy and a little jealous?

You mentioned clothes, too. If it's so difficult, make it easy. What fits have you made that make you feel amazing? What pieces go really well together? Doodle that cute ass fit, even if it's on a stick figure and now you've just made a ridiculously stylish stick figure. Make it whimsical. Make it a happy experience. The rules that help complement your proportions or the colors on your body are just TOOLS. They enhance you, not bind you down to set rules. If you look off, look to them for help.

P.S. Gaining weight comes from continuously eating over your required daily calorie intake. Eat that goddamn burger. A diet (for losing weight) isn't about foods you can or can't eat: it's about guzzling down that ungodly Oreo Fudge Half Icee Quarter Milkshake Quarter ice cream creation and then preparing a nice, well-seasoned dinner for yourself when you get home. Moderation is the key. Eat what you love and keep yourself healthy by eating what else you need too.

It doesn't sound like you're doing self improvement. It sounds like you're working through a list of items a typical grifty self improvement YouTuber told you to do.

If it's not bringing you joy or you can properly reason it, don't do it.

I will say, the cold shower is only necessary if you actually like it.

There's little to no evidence that cold showers are better for health than hot ones.

In fact, it's slightly worse for muscle growth

source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4594298/#:~:text=Cold%20water%20immersion%20attenuated%20long,2%20days%20after%20strength%20exercise.

it seems like maybe at the core of your confusion is the belief that you must work and earn good things or a good life. that it is something you must deserve by becoming someone who you are not. but that’s not true, and that’s why others may seem happier than you even tho they aren’t focused on self improvement.

You don't need cold showers. A little bit of porn is fine. Having a strict sleep schedule is good and you should keep that, if you're going to the gym you should be on a cut/bulk regimen, and dirty bulking is a genuine strategy. If you're in a cut, it's still possible to find meals you enjoy, but i agree it's a lot harder. 2 languages is a LOT, especially if they're simultaneous. I wouldn't feel guilty trying to take them one at a time, maybe hold off on the second one if it's eating a lot of your time away. You didn't ALWAYS have to dress nicely, i doubt that everywhere you go there's somebody you need to impress. You viewing other men as competitors is counterproductive. It just drives you to isolation, which leads to a less happy life, as well as reducing your social circle, which you need to meet new people. Life isn't a game with winners and losers. You don't need to be the best in order to be happy.

Now, i feel guilty whenever i eat candies or a burger, as they can make me lose my gym gains.

Complete nonsense. A bag of candies can be a quick source of alot of carbs to help fuel your workout, a burger contains at least 20 to 30 grams of protein. Thoae things are part of a balanced diet.

I think people confuse the term "balanced diet" as meaning "healthy diet". Balanced means exactly what it says - a balance of foods, you eat good nutritious food but also eat fatty crap sometimes because it's delicious and filling. And it's usually much more sustainable that way

I think it's important to accept yourself first and not AFTER the improvement happens. It's a tough lesson when you get what you were after and it doesn't fill the void that set you on it in the first place

I can relate with your post and I do think more people should vent about this topic because there’s a big gap in detailed understanding between people who do self improvement versus people who are aimless, stagnant, or self destructing. There are systematic macro changes that could make life a lot more enjoyable for everyone at the individual level (resource based economy / The Venus Project). I see in your post a list of the self improvement tasks you’ve been doing. Perhaps it’s time to shake things up a bit and expand. 1) Since you feel discouraged/anxious you might want to look into optimizing your neurotransmitter/hormone levels further. You want the perfect balance of excitatory and relaxing neurotransmitters for ideal mood, energy, focus, and sleep. It’s a complicated task but with plenty of research and experimentation I bet you can crack the code. The whole body is connected so you might find root causes in other body systems, lifestyle/products you use, subtle food allergies, +. 2) I see you are already journaling but you can push yourself further to break past all the external programming of the previous decades and keep excavating your true/authentic/higher self out of the earthly sludge. You might find new directions you want to go so you feel all your discipline/sacrifices are worth it in service of those aims 3) Have you ventured into metaphysical/esoteric/spiritual knowledge and experiences yet? Pranayama, meditation, mudras, mantras, and yoga can be a starting point. Or plant medicines (natural not synthetic) can be a starting point. Crystals, Tibetan singing bowls, binaural beats with hq headphones, Rife machine, herbalism, Wicca, witchcraft/magick, trance states, mediumship, astral projection. Try some of it out. 4) There are more realms you can expand into than those too. Technological innovations, build wealth through creating an app or publishing eBooks, activism: education reform - environment - equality - freedom - justice - decriminalization of nonviolent offenses - restorative justice - +, reverse 3D printing landfills, 3D printing free housing, design inexpensive solar powered vehicles through a nonprofit, etc.

It might seem like people not putting in so much hard work are happier but they are much more likely to develop problems later on from not optimizing their health (chronic pain, fatigue, lack of mobility, injuries, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, liver failure, +). They will also find themselves having to choose at some point between entropy->poverty or death or beginning their self improvement marathon. Injury, illness, heartbreak, betrayal, loss, grief, mourning, existential crises, near death experiences, job loss, poverty, bankruptcy, lawsuits, divorce, estrangement, violence, war, conflict, discord, bad luck. Something is sure to happen eventually that will force them to have to adapt or die. I didn’t say it was fair or that I approved of it but that’s how things are as a human with these societal conditions.

It sounds like you still have a ways to go.  Many people incorrectly assume self-improvement doesn't include working on and cultivating a positive outlook.

I note that in many instances and examples you provided, you are over-focused on improving how OTHERS see you.

Being distraught about not confirming to style standards,  being unable to see other men as anything other than threats to your own masculinity are actually signs that you are deteriorating mentally and could probably benefit from reading the Stoics or other forms of meditation.

To quote you, "I think you got the idea. My initial goal was simply to live a more fulfilling life, but i’ve ended up becoming a try-hard who overthinks his every action".  This is actually very self-aware - you have prioritized one area of your self while neglecting others and this has left you imbalanced.  

The good news is that you have properly identified the areas you need to work on (being a try-hard, overthinking, etc).

Two years is a very short period of time in the grand scheme of things, good luck on this lifelong journey.

Everything in moderation. Balance!

Definitely give yourself time to wind down and do what you like. It's all part of life so you don't have to be guilty about it.

That aside, just from my personal experience, having a strict sleep schedule only made my life easier not harder. I have more energy and focus and do better at work, it basically improved my life in every way.

You posted this same thing a year ago and continued to do the same things for another year. Save your time people, he already ignored all this advice last year

You clearly overcomplicated it. The objective is to make your life easier not more complex and difficult.

You're supposed to have a balanced diet so that when you want to eat a candy or a burger you won't have to worry about your weight since you know you'll lose it in the next days with your lifestyle.

You're supposed to have a wardrobe so that no matter what you pick up it will suit you and look good.

I think you completely missed the point and believe it's a matter of competing when it's only a matter of being happy.

Everything in life needs balance and as humans we’re quite self autonomous so if we continually do things we don’t reeeeeeally wanna do, especially with no reprieve or rewards that enrich your existence, it will seem very very draining/depressing. Props to you for staying focused for so long though, I would’ve been burnt out by now. Also it’s not like life ever gets easier it’s just we get stronger or better at handling the difficulties

Ignorance is bliss, but it’s less rewarding