Thread - Just Shoot More Shots:

This might be the most important thread I've written so far.

This is what I wish I read back when I was 20. (I'm 24 today)

Will be especially important for ambitious young gunnas (like me) who are currently waiting on the sidelines to do something "risky."

Let me tell you a little story about me.

I've always been adventurous.

I've always been down to do "crazy shit." (not really crazy, but deemed crazy by most)

Back when I was 18, I made a decision.

I had 3k saved up, I bought a high-end gaming PC and I decided I was going to drop out to chase video gaming streaming.

I was really good and passionate about the game at the time.

I saw all my favorite influencers doing that and I wanted to do the same.

Now If boomers would read this, they'd be like

"That has to be one of the most stupid decisions you could make."

Maybe.

Who fucking cares though lmao. (we'll get back to this point in a bit)

Anyway that decision had a cost. (a big one)

My dad cut all ties with me.

That had a big negative effect on me at the time.

But I had made a decision.

So regardless of that consequence, I stuck with it.

And for 1 year I rolled with it.

I got a bit of "fame" locally, made some good money, but eventually it just wasn't scratching my itch anymore.

So I dropped it.

Long-term, in the eyes of a third party, that project "failed."

The opportunity cost to chase that venture was losing my relationship with my father.

And it ended up not paying off. (at least not like I wanted)

I still had bills to pay, so at 20, I got myself a tech job at a small company.

It didn't pay well, but it was above average salary where I live.

The first 6 months were great.

That job was pushing me in domains that I hadn't developed before.

There was progression. (not career-wise, but intangibles wise)

By 6 months though, there was nothing left to learn.

I started stagnating (in personal development and job progression.)

Looking back, I should've just left to (at least) go find another job elsewhere where I'd have more leverage.

But I had bills to pay, and the last time I took a risk to bet on myself...

The relationship with my dad was toast.

So my adventurous and "wild" spirit was repressed.

So I stayed there for 3 years.

Worst decision I've ever made. (I'll explain why)

At 23, I had a bunch of shit happen.

- Broke up a 6-year relationship
- Underwent abdominal surgery
- Had a pretty shitty recovery
- Went to therapy for anxiety
- Started another relationship (which ended 4 months after.)

And by the time that was done, I was like "Fuck it."

So I decided I'd go do something on the side.

For me, it was Twitter.

Started this account in April last year.

Around July I quit my job.

It hasn't been 1 year since I started this account.

But I've created more opportunities for myself through Twitter than I'd ever create If I stayed there.

Now here comes the lesson...

The reason why I just told you all of this is to let you know that I was the guy standing on the sidelines.

Afraid to make the jump, afraid to do something "risky." (which isn't risky at all btw lmao)

Look, here's the deal.

Everything costs something.

If you're young, you have got the two most powerful assets at your side.

Time and energy.

Your energy will be higher than ever.

You got plenty of time to fuck up and recover.

The first thing you need to realize is that risk is a construct.

A construct embedded into you by society while you grew up.

There are only 3 things you need to avoid:

- Debt
- Jail
- Death

That's it.

And even then, there are plenty of people who turned it around even having to deal with the first two.

The cost of betting on yourself and doing "risky" is:

- Failing.
- Fucking up.
- Getting hurt.
- Being clowned by other people.

Now, I know you've been programmed to look at all of this from a negative lens.

You look at those words and automatically your brain goes "That sounds bad."

Now here's the reality.

All of that = Progress.

That's really all it is.

It's the barrier of entry to maturing.

When there's progress, you're alive.

Progress is the most important metric regarding on how well you're actually living your life.

Where there's stagnation, there's death.

When I was stuck at that job with no progress, I felt a huge guilt because I felt like I was "wasting time."

But that wasn't even the worse thing.

The worse thing was the repression of my energy.

Everyday I showed up, it was another day I felt like I lost an extra bit of my soul.

And that's truly the one thing you cannot afford to do as a young gunna.

To deny your spirit the adventure and the progress it craves.

Read this and internalize.

You're young.

You can afford to fail.

You can afford to fuck up.

You can afford to get broke. (emotionally, financially etc)

You can afford to lose it all.

You can afford to SHOOT MORE SHOTS.

Why?

You got time.

You got energy.

And you'll end up okay.

There are people who spend 10 years shooting and missing and at year 11 they make it.

When you're young and you got problems.

The solution will never be to sit around and wait for something to happen.

The solution will never be to get a soul-killing job and barely just get by.

The solution will never be to settle for bad relationships because you don't think you can get better.

Sure, you can do things like that as a temporary measure, but never as an end-game.

The solution is to attack life.

With everything.

As I said, you're young.

YOU HAVE TO EXPRESS AND IMPOSE YOUR ENERGY ON THE WORLD.

You've got time, you've got energy, no matter what happens, you will recover.

Humans are literally wired to survive.

No matter how bad your bets go you'll eventually find a way and come out okay on the other side. (and you have to UNSHAKEABLE faith in this fact)

You have to make shit happen, cause friction in the universe, get shit moving.

Because life is a gamble, and every time you shoot a shot, you're creating an opportunity (and increasing your odds) to get lucky.

You might miss 1000.

But all you need is to hit 1 lucky shot, and all of a sudden your entire life changes.

So, just shoot more shots.

And no matter how discouraging it might get at times... Never stop shooting.

This is the end of the thread

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Thank you for reading,

With love, David. https://youactualized.com/#newsletter