@ActualizedDavid
What do I think?
Well done. Wise.
Check out some items of what Osho has to say about Chuang Tzu and Taoism (Oshos perspective on Taoism).
In Buddhism there is only one purpose in life or one goal they strive to attain: to attain a state of being where one doesnt strive for any goals or purpose.
Good on you man and well done. This is wise and insightful.
Just one thing to say- if you ever feel like, say in 5 years from now, you want a life purpose, dont feel bad to change directions.
Life goes up and down in phases. Some phases you will feel like the allower of life, some phases you will want to be the deliberate creator. No better or worse just different.
Some people are Forrest Gumps and other people are Teslas.

I will watch this asap, totally resonate with this. Purity and perfectionism are toxic. To speak in buddhist metaphor, the lotus blossom is rooted in the mud, cut it off and it quickly dies.
Yeah I don't really see a lot of Ken Wilber worship going on around here either, not sure what you're on about Joseph Maynor.

@theking00
The reason you don't feel good enough for a girlfriend is because IT HAS BEEN DELIBERATLY CONDITIONED INTO MEN that they aren't good enough for a woman of their desire.
DELIEBRALTY CONDITIONED.
It's not your fault!!! I would say pretty much 70% of young men feel that way, and even the ones that have 'success' with women, how many genuinely feel they are authentically deserving it?
It's a hell, horrible spell culture has done.
Having said that, you do need to take control. Leo's advise is correct and your thinking should stem from that issue.
You need to become a YESMAN like Jim Carrey, just start doing all kinds of social activities- expand your zone like you never have in your life and just talk to as many people and even girls as possible. Do some acting classes, do some silly yoga classes ,do dancing, go to clubs you haven't gone to before, see an escort, meet friends of your friends, jog to a different park next time, go a different route to work or school if you take yourself. Be proactive not reactive.
In other words, to fix this problem you must ABANDON the problem mindset, and adopt the solution mindset.
"How great will it feel once I prove to myself in a few weeks that girls do like me?"
"How many girls can I talk to and strike up conversations with in the next 4 hours today?"
"What can I do that will allow me to mingle with tons of people in the real world?"
 
Fuck being a destroyed victim about this man we aren't going to go down a helpless, horrible reality anymore. You're a good, solid, well intentioned young man, and I am sure you are also quite good looking I can tell. But this victim thinking and "oh its just how it is" shit needs to be burned. Write it down on a piece of paper, "I am not good enough for women" and then burn that piece of paper and say you are done with it.
This is a symbolic thing even Bruce Lee used to do. If you actually manage to get off your ass and do that- takes 30 seconds, you will notice a state shift quick.
Be the HERO of your life.
Existence needs you man. Go out and talk to as many women as possible, and die trying.
My second pickup mentor said something that never left me:
Johhny Bravo, you see a hot beautiful woman of your dreams in your university class and want to talk to her. But you are pretty certain she wont speak to you. Johhny, lets assume with zero doubt she will not be interested in you. You still have a choice, you ca either:
- be a man that does nothing to talk to her, and reject yourself by proxy
- or, be the man that at least tries to propleryl speak with her and convey intent, but she doesn't like you.
What type of man do you want to be? The one that never even tried, or the man that failed but AT LEAST HE TRIED?????
Utilise your spirit and INTENT. You have a will, use it.

Maybe you're right. Let this possibility motivate you to be better. Confidence isn't something you fake, it's something you earn.

In the last couple of months I went deeper into that concept and tried to see if it's of any use, and what I see now, is that it's a narrow and negative narrative based thinking that leads to frustration and a general lack of muse.
I say that only because prior to thinking whether I was enslaved or not I was free. It's only the thought of being "enslaved" that can enslave you. If you think in terms of what you can't do, you will always see limitations, but should you really? Should you actively try and prove to yourself that you are not free? I say no, you really shouldn't!
If you feel free right now, and you stumble upon such notions as "wage slavery", it's better to avoid it. That's negative motivation, and it won't help you go deeper on your journey towards life purpose. In fact I'm so uninspired right now that I temporarily paused the work on Leo's course.

@bmcnicho Sounds like you are right where you ought to be given your age and lack of life experience. I was/am very anti-conformist like you. Nothing wrong with that. It's just a part of your personality. It might mean you should be a leader, a boss, a solo artist, or just off doing your own thing. This is great. In this case you will have to build yourself up and lead yourself a lot before others start to follow you.
Don't be afraid to carve your own path in life. Maybe consider starting a business within a field you are passionate or curious about.
A traditional cookie-cutter college major or job is probably not right for you. You need something more custom, more your own.
Autistic is also okay. Just part of your personality type. You just need to find a career/purpose which leverages that.
The best way to pursue truth is via yoga, contemplation, philosophy, self-inquiry, and/or psychedelics. So I would build experience will all the above and see how that feels for you. If you really value truth you should love all that.
Try to think about what kind of career would be most aligned with your personality and the value of truth. It's basically that simple. Don't beat around the bush. Nail your top value.

It makes no sense to the ego-mind because the ego-mind is constantly trying to survive. The ego-mind as a mechanism does not allow you to feel happy other than as a manipulation or a reward for survival. So you are like a dog stuck in a cycle of chasing dog biscuits without realizing that there is an endless mountain of dog biscuits right over the hill. But you are so hungry for that one biscuit that you never go over the hill to dog heaven
Motivation is a manipulation mechanism that the mind uses over you. Notice how easily you're controlled by the promise of a little pleasure in the future. You are so controlled by it you wouldn't even take infinite happiness if it was offered to you. Because you'd say, "But that would mean I have to stop chasing crumbs." Yes, you'd have to stop chasing crumbs.
It's like you have been offered a billion dollars but you say, "I'm too busy to take this billion dollars because I'm busy chasing millions of dollars." Well, okay, have it your way.
Indeed. That's what an intelligent person would do.
The problem is, you can't do it. Because you're too hypnotized and addicted to life.
Are you really willing to sacrifice your entire life for God? If so, do it.
You are totally underestimating what awakening offers. It doesn't just offer happiness. It offers immortality and God-realization. You cannot even fathom such kinds of joy. It is a joy beyond anything you've experienced in your life. The technical terms for it are Bliss, Ecstasy, and Paradise.
Imagine a literal Paradise. That's what you're missing by not fully awakening. So what's the catch? The cost of attaining this Paradise is surrendering your entire life. Which is of course out of the question for you.

@theking00 Yes, enlightenment will help with those core issues, but you need something more practical first.
Go and actually study and gain experience with attracting girls and being social. Do that first. Fill that need. Then you can return to enlightenment work. You are getting ahead of yourself, jumping into too advanced territory without having done the basics. That's why you're frustrated.
GO SOCIALIZE WITH REAL GIRLS!!!
Stop trying to avoid it. You are using the idea of enlightenment to avoid doing basic self-help stuff. That is not right.

Always try the direct route first. Sit down and simply ask yourself, "What is my trauma?"
If your intention is genuine and honest, and you are open, your mind should supply you the answers.
If that fails, do it while on a psychedelic and you will almost surely receive your answers. Just be careful what you wish for.
The whole problem with heavily traumatic people is that they are not genuine, honest, or open. They have no intention of facing their trauma. They don't want know the truth because it is too painful. They actively avoid talking or thinking about it. So in such cases therapy or psychedelics are very useful. But even so, if there is no intention at all to honestly introspect, nothing will help. The person has to want to grow.
Your mind usually gives you what you ask of it. Most people don't ask much so they don't get much.
All the answers to your life challenges lie within you. But you must dig them out.

It's not feasible in the long-term. And the deeper question is, why are you interested in working that much at all since work will never make you happy? It clearly shows that you have your priorities backward.
Work is endless. It's an endless game of chasing one's tail. You want your work to be enjoyable and you want to have lots of spare time for spirituality, personal development, and enjoyment of life.
What you want is not effectiveness or success, but consciousness, joy, peace, and health.
Working long hours should only be done for short periods of time for critical strategic purposes, like if you're launching a new business you might work really hard for a year or two, but only because you'll then have more free time.

yeap, most people. it has nothing to do with inferiority, superiority, humility or arrogance. it's simply a matter of courage to stop and look inside.
most people can't even deal with their own neuroses to begin with.

@Extreme Z7 Don't get too obsessed with me. It's too incestuous and not healthy. I am not as great as you imagine me to be.

That's not necessarily wrong. It might just mean that you have some psychological baggage to work through to prepare you for the really deep existential insights which will inevitably come if you keep tripping consistently.
I have a theory that most ordinary people, if they do a bit of psychedelics, will not get deep metaphysical insights because they have a lot of psychological baggage to clear up first. They aren't pure enough, and they aren't existentially curious enough. The psychedelic will show you the answers you NEED and also the answers your heart is seeking. What does your heart want to know? If it doesn't want to know much, then you won't get much.
For me, my heart was always seeking the deepest answers to why reality exists. And so I get those answers very quickly on psychedelics. Because I care about understanding reality so much. It's really my purpose for living. So the psychedelic takes me there almost instantly. It's nuts. You have to really care to know.
I don't really actively contemplate on psychedelics. Most of my contemplation is during everyday life. But that then sort of builds up a deep curiosity which then gets answered in the trip. I don't try to control my trips much. I just sit down and say something to myself like, "Okay, now show me the highest Truth! Whatever it is, I want to know and I will accept it. Lay it on me. What am I still missing? What am I still not understanding about reality?"
Usually that triggers a torrent of profound revelations. Sometimes it can be uncomfortable.

Do whatever you gotta do.
It's not my job to address every fool's misgivings on the internet.
You need to be wise enough to discern when you are being distracted by fools. Otherwise it will take you 100 years to awaken. There is too much bullshit on the internet to treat it all seriously.

@DecemberFlower That certainty in your purpose will naturally develop as you gain more experience.
The point is to keep an open mind. The open mind applies more to new perspectives and ideas, rather than your values and stengths. You don't need to be too skeptical of your values and strengths. Listen to your heart and you will discover your top values and strengths.
But you still need an open mind when it comes to new perspectives.
That's right, the mind craves certainty just like the body craves food. Which is why openmindness is so hard for people. It goes counter to that.

As God, you would realize your penis is Perfect and Good however it is.
The desire for a bigger penis is devilry and lack of self-acceptance.
EVERYTHING is as it should be! You only need to purify yourself enough to see the truth of this.
Notice how you create your own hell by wanting a bigger penis. See? You are in heaven but you create a hell out of it. That is the core mistake of humans.

I've been increasingly aware that debating people is a very addictive waste of energy.
* On this forum
* With my ex girlfriend, whom I like but she disapproves of everything I do lately, and can't help herself but express her condemnation harshly when I share something
Of course turning this into a debate takes two.
Today, I feel very aware of how much energy I'm putting into a conversation and where it's coming from.
In this case, one moment the motivating energy was "sharing", we were catching up and it's fun to share. Then the energy changed, she expressed disapproval and now the motivation for me to speak was the drive to defend, convince, debate, correct, TELL PEOPLE HOW DUMB AND HYPOCRITICAL THEY ARE!
But I said to myself, let's not.
What's to be gained?
The carrot dangled in front of you is to convince the other of your views. To feel understood, validated, safe, after the other admitted that you are right.
But does this ever happen? Once you get into debate mode, and the energy changes from curious to combative, it's too late.
I suppose it happens frequently enough to addict us. But this is like a rare dog treat in a conditioning experiment. Like winning big in the casino, rarer even.
As a rule of thumb, I will strive to voice my opinion once, and when there's contradicting opinions, and I feel like engaging that debate energy, just not to say anything more unless asked.
 
I suppose this fits in with the recent development of me being more aware of the energy behind what I'm saying.
I'm pleased But also, like with any paradigm shift, I'll probably start seeing it everywhere now, and will have to refrain from pointing it out to people.
Like the resolution of my vision got an upgrade, and now I'll probably have to restrain myself from attempting to wipe all the tiny spots from other people's glasses.
 
Maybe this was catalyzed by not drinking, alcohol also tends to blur your 'vision'.
In other news, I have never felt to focused and effective at work without coffee! Ever. I believe.
In a meeting I was decisive and leading. I didn't set out to be, but I felt it was necessary. I felt so clear-minded, that it seemed in comparison that everyone around me was very cloudy and saying a lot of unnecessary things that didn't help progress. Just a very good decisive dopamine rush. I think I succeeded in helping the group make a decision quickly, so that everyone could get back to work and not waste anyone's time. Somehow almost nobody is aware of how much time they are wasting by going into unnecessary stories and detours in a meeting.
Also, it used to be that when I interrupted someone, or cut their story short, I would feel guilty and worry about it a bit. Not this time. I still blushed, but didn't even waste energy on second-guessing myself.
My fingers are typing like crazy. Forceful, like they really WANT to type.
Knowledge is more quickly accessible, but I don't get lost in it.
And I've not even had tea. All I had was water with spirulina, magnesium, potassium and sodium. Probably a little too much sodium, it tasted like sea water and my eyes kinda felt pressure like when I've been swimming in salty sea water. I'm still experimenting.
And for lunch I had a good portion of fatty trout and herring. Couple avocados. Some almond butter.
The clouds have parted!!!
I'm referring to ADD symptoms. I want to save this state as a savepoint, so I can load it later when I have brain fog.
Ingredients: minerals, lots of water, spirulina, wheat grass powder, lemon juice, running in the morning, fatty fish, avocados, almonds, 99% dark chocolate.
And clearly, I can feel this great even without two weeks of saved up semen. Interesting.
Got up at : 9:15 Morning,Evening,Night routine streak: 0 One Approach A Day streak : 1 Eating within 9 hour window streak : 0 Number of women approached : 20 Total infield time : 12h15 Total meditation time : 13h45 Speeches given : 2 Books read : 0 Currently reading : (162/232) Stealing Fire - Steven Kotler et. al. Days without smoking : 73 alcohol : 8 caffeine except tea : 10 TV : 0 grains : 21 sugar : 11 dairy : 27 peak orgasm : 0 porn : 30  

@Actualizer777
How old are you?
You need to consider how much you gonna change in the next 5 years. I mean literally, you will not even remember your paradigm from before college, once you are in college for a year and after you graduated you are a very different person. 
If I would go back to pre college, I would take a year off and just follow my interests. If that is working an online business, then go!
But
youre probably not gonna be financially independent in 6 months 
youre probably not gonna be so driven doing your business once you start college
what would I do?
Travel, read books, meet friends, form connection, build fundamental skills, work out, learn cooking, learn cleaning, learn discipline 
Believe me, you just started. You cant just look beyond your horizon, that doesnt mean there is not a infinite long road ahead. 
See you got so much time 
______________________________________________
and so much things to do and learn and go to and meet and do whatever
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
So what´s the secret? 
You start building fundamentals,you start soul searching, you get discipline and health FIRST
Then you start building your life
So many people try to live the lush life as long as they are young (which means the time in college basically) and then just get trainwrecked by the system and become drone workers for the rest of the day. 
Once you get older you will realize that you need to focus on something. That does mean you gotta drop other things and let them go. Because there is just to much to start. Its good to start a lot of things until lets say 25 to find your interests, but then you gotta become a master in a field, or atleast become excellent in 2/3 fields which synergize. If you dont get hired for your value you get hired for your time, and thats the capitalism version of slavery. 
We are still replaceable machine parts of the overall organization. 
See, do what no one is doing to get the results no one is getting. I know youre young and it is soo hard to go against the current, but thats the secret. Be smart and stop listening to anyone but your rational reasoning. 
 

This needs to be addressed first. The need to be busy all the time is increasing your cortisol, reducing your melatonin and killing your sleep. 
Few tips that may help you out
Read "Why we sleep" by Matthew Walker to understand the horrific consequences of not getting enough sleep.  Start going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. Aim for solid 8 hours. (ideally 8.5) Quit all electronic devices 90 minutes prior to your bed time. Blue light from these blocks secretion of melatonin drastically and prolongs time required to get into REM sleep Dim all lights as much as possible 60 minutes prior to your bed time. Only keep enough light to avoid bumping into object. Ideally light a candle in your room instead of using lamp. Artificial light blocks secretion of melatonin just as blue light from electronics.  Consider purchasing blue light blocking glasses and start wearing them around 2 hours prior to your bed time.  Do not exercise 2 hours prior to your bed time Do not go to bed neither hungry nor full..something in between.  Have a few pistachios before your bed time, they contains highest known amount of natural melatonin.  Remove any clock visible from bed that will induce "sleeplessness anxiety" If you can't fall asleep, get up and do a very light relaxing activity such as yoga or meditation. (consider doing these prior to bed time ideally) Make sure your room is as close to 100% dark as possible, all lights that can go, have to go. Good luck
EDIT
try staying away from caffeine after 2pm  if possible avoid alcohol consumption altogether. It is a sedative preventing your body from entering REM sleep. 

@Luna
It wont pass by. Things change, even sometimes God can show up for you in sharp ways out of nowhere.
Tolle felt so unsatisfied and unhappy with his life....then suddenly boom at 29 he got enlightened out of nowhere.
A miracle occurred without his efforts. It was so against the typical pattern of his life.
So hold fast. You cant miss out on your life. Do not allow self help to brainwash you into thinking youre not good enough and you need to seize life.
Life is a mystery to be lived, not an experience to be controlled or analyzed.

One way would be to do a daily yoga practice and purify your lower chakras, which are responisble for base cravings like sex.
Another way is to burn thru some karma by having lots of sex and becoming aware of how unsatisfying it is.
Another way is to alchemize your sexual energy into a big important creative pursuit like your life purpose.
Another way is to experience God through a deep psychedelic trip, which will rewire your drives in life away from petty materialism.

@Lorcan If you don't have any tangible real life skills yet, dropping out will only backfire on you. 
If you do have tangible skills, drop out after you produce some results, not before. Run some experiments just so you don't fall flat on your face after you drop out.
Also, what's the big deal? You can just half ass your assignments and get passing grades. That would free up at least 50% of your time dedicated to school and put it in a side hustle. That's what I'm doing right now in college. I ain't gonna do anything with my own degree, but it's a good time to do great foundational work in order to be succesful later, because no one can bother me and I can study and do whatever I want in my spare time (which is 90% of the time because I handle school work intelligently -and I still get A's with minimal work- and no, I'm not a genius in any way - I can recommend you some books if you want to figure out how to do that too). 
Your only problem is a lack of time management and smart work. You can make progress on a magnitudinal level in your self-development while also being in school and doing boring school work. 
Dropping out ain't gonna solve anything. Your problems are only going to take a different form. If you are smart, you're gonna play the system easily and figure out a way to do 3 hours schoolwork per week and 50-100 hours your own thing.
The question is, are you actually willing to put in the work?

@Mrkvn8 Yes, you're right. Taking copious notes is not necessary and sometimes too cumbersome. Trust that as you read, your mind will connect the important dots. You don't need to go out of your way to memorize this material as though it were a high school history class.
Read, enjoy, connect the dots, and apply. Take notes on only the KEY GEMS. Underline passages in books, which is much faster than taking notes, and almost as good.

That's the problem. You're acting out of the intelect, not out of intelligence.
Trying to come up with techneques how to be with people will not work. Life is spontanious. If you're spontanious and act according to life situations you'll flow, if you're full of conclusions and techneques you'll crash.