Some people think that if you want to make it as an entrepreneur or get through college so you can land your dream job, then you have to make sacrifices to your health in the short-term. It’s dangerous, stupid, and reckless. You’re only going to damage your long-term health by shortcutting your health and not making it a priority.
As much as I enjoy ramen, I wouldn’t recommend for a student to save money by eating just one pack of ramen each day. Same goes for people who try to save money by spending money on the value menu at fast food places. Some people think just because you’re young, you can get away with it. No, your body is going to pay a price. It might not be that noticeable at first, but you will definitely pay the price for it in your energy, your mood, your sleep, your overall nutrition, etc.
Now, some people swear by coffee. I don’t even DRINK coffee bro. The last time I tried a coffee variant at a bubble tea shop (pre-COVID-19), I felt so jittery. So, I haven’t had it since. I think it’s okay if you have it once in a while or just to get a taste, but to rely on it every day to keep you awake or keep you going is like being on drugs. It pretty much acts like a drug. And if you ever decide to go off it, you might experience withdrawal symptoms. That’s certainly not a fun issue to deal with in the future.
Some people sacrifice sleep. I wish someone told me about the importance of sleep before. I actually had trouble staying asleep for years because I’d always drool since I had an overbite and my mouth was always open. I’d wake up several times in the night. I thought this was normal. And in middle school and high school, I’d stay up late. I’m talking about just getting 3-4 hours of sleep a night. So eventually, I got psychosis, and this may have been a long-term issue that caused the problem. Not getting enough sleep can cause all sorts of issues in the future if you don’t take care of it. For me, now I hear voices, and lack of sleep could have contributed to that. And now, I have a problem of oversleeping daily. I find it hard to get up in the morning. It may have to do with meds, but I’m at the lowest dose possible right now, and I still can’t manage to get myself out of bed. So kids, even if you haven’t finished your homework or a project, prioritize your sleep.
This is a side rant, but honestly, I have a problem with the current school system with the way magnet schools are set up. When I was in middle school, I’d get up early for choir practice. So, I had to get up by 5:30 AM each morning just to get a carpool to school. I’d get there by 7:30 AM (because my carpool would have to pick up many others along the way, so it’d take a while). Then, school would end at 3:30 PM. That’s like working a whole 9-5. And then, I’d get home by maybe 5:30 PM with my carpool. So with dinner and taking a shower, that’d take another hour of my time in the evening. And then, you’re expected to do your homework or work on projects with your remaining time? Like bro, when’s my time to just wind down? And it wouldn’t be a little homework. It’d be like 30 minutes worth of homework per subject, and I had maybe 6 subjects at a time. So that’d take another 3 hours. And of course, I’d procrastinate by playing games with friends, chatting with friends, or blogging. So instead of being done by 10:00 PM, I’d be half-done by 2:00 AM. And then I’d finally get my 3 1/2 hours of sleep. This in my opinion is worse than child labor. At least with child labor, you’re done with your work by a certain time and you actually get paid for what you’re doing. With school, you’re just expected to do schoolwork all throughout the day with just a few breaks for food or commuting in between. (By the way, I’m not advocating for child labor… I’m just saying that it’s ridiculous that magnet schools are like this when it comes to education. There has to be a better system.)
Some people sacrifice socializing so that they can hustle. If you feel like hustling, go for it. But, you definitely don’t need to sacrifice having a social life. In fact, the entrepreneurs that I enjoy reading about are the ones who value socializing, finding it to be an opportunity to expand their network. And, they don’t hold back from buying people dinners. They know the importance of balance and they find value in the activities that aren’t directly related to their business or work. They’ll make time to go to the gym or go to their niece’s birthday party. That’s the kind of entrepreneur I’d like to be. I don’t want to be tied down to my computer all the time just for the sake of making money. If you ever get to that point, I feel sorry for you.
Sacrificing your health can lead to a lifetime of regrets. I mean more than just your physical health. This includes your mental wellbeing, your emotional needs, etc. It can lead to undue stress than can lead to actual sickness, in physical form or mental forms (such as leading to a mental illness). And, these things can be even harder to recover from than just a financial situation. With money, it’s just a matter of how to make more of it. But with a physical or mental illness, you will suffer from something that you can’t easily reverse. Like for me, I hear voices now, and I literally haven’t been able to find any solution to reverse or eliminate the voices. I’ve tried medicine. I’ve tried therapy. I’ve trying praying. Now, I unfortunately have to continue living my life with the voice, and that’s a struggle. So if I could go back, I’d definitely avoid getting into stressful situations, would focus on being healthy, would have definitely made some different decisions. So, this is why I advise people to prioritize their health. You can’t just get that back like money. Money isn’t worth any sacrifice to your health.
2020-09-24
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