Do you feel like underperforming?

[AION]

When I see people bringing out deepseek and shit, I'm thinking wtf am I doing? I'm squandering a lot of time and potential. I'm like performing on 20% of what I can. It gives me a lot of guilt and shame. But at the same time we have to enjoy life too you know. I prioritized enjoying life and being healthy until now. Perhaps I should not compare myself to the 1% of my field.

Edited January 28 by AION

[Salvijus]

1 hour ago, AION said:

When I see people bringing out deepseek and shit, I'm thinking wtf am I doing? I'm squandering a lot of time and potential. I'm like performing on 20% of what I can. It gives me a lot of guilt and shame.  

If you're having such thoughts you probably should listen to it. 

Quote

But at the same time we have to enjoy life too you know. 

Living life at your full potential is enjoyment in and of itself.

Edited January 28 by Salvijus

[ryoko]

You need a very strong alignment with your values to do what you truly value. Silence, pause, void, nothingness; all of these are essential for alignment. External world is a noise, at one point you have to do some serious reflection and be clear about your values.

But if you live against your values, or your environment is such that your values have to be hidden from yourself, they never come to the surface. This is why most people try to drown themselves in various things; money, drinks, drugs, sex, social media. And most of these to some extend is encouraged by society because of the majority's tolerance level. Also the human excuse of being social creatures.

On enjoying life, do you value it enough? Or is it some second priority? Human body is designed with too many flaws. If you drink tonight, you can't focus tomorrow. Pleasure and work bleed into each other. Work Life balance is a myth. It's all part of the whole. The more you try to seperate it, the more neurotic you become.

Edited January 28 by ryoko

[AION]

1 hour ago, ryoko said:

You need a very strong alignment with your values to do what you truly value. Silence, pause, void, nothingness; all of these are essential for alignment. External world is a noise, at one point you have to do some serious reflection and be clear about your values.

But if you live against your values, or your environment is such that your values have to be hidden from yourself, they never come to the surface. This is why most people try to drown themselves in various things; money, drinks, drugs, sex, social media. And most of these to some extend is encouraged by society because of the majority's tolerance level. Also the human excuse of being social creatures.

On enjoying life, do you value it enough? Or is it some second priority? Human body is designed with too many flaws. If you drink tonight, you can't focus tomorrow. Pleasure and work bleed into each other. Work Life balance is a myth. It's all part of the whole. The more you try to seperate it, the more neurotic you become.

That is so powerful

Desires of the spirit is stronger than the desires of the flesh..

But it requires some spiritual mastery...

Most people are just zombying themselves through life until the reaper comes along and then it is too late.

[Hojo]

Your only problems should and shouldn't. You have no free will. Should and shouldn't make you suffer a fabricated potential.

Edited January 28 by Hojo

[Hojo]

@Kairos could mean you dont want to do anything.

[Hojo]

@Kairos if you have already programmed your body not to do things, you will have to push past the barriers you have created to do something to suffer from. This could be fear of being yourself. You already know what you should and shouldn't do like attack someone or sexually assault we already got past that programming. It is easy for the mind to scare you into thinking that letting go means you will go ballistic but its just a false narrative you created as a way to stop it from happening before and when hit adulthood you dont need them.

Should and shouldn't means attachment to the dream. Things that didn't happen and won't ever happen.

You can get stuck in should have forever.

Edited January 29 by Hojo

[Hojo]

@Kairos Yes if you can adopt this philosophy you will instantly feel better. Gods not keeping track on should and shouldn't. That's ego trying to make you feel bad 

Edited January 29 by Hojo

[ryoko]

1 hour ago, Kairos said:

So instead of that one should just exist and go with the flow of life,do whatever they want and regret nothing

Precisely yes. It's nice if you can be in that state for long enough time, like for a few years. It's a much needed alignment. You'll come back stronger.

[AION]

Words are powerful. Never underestimate the power of your words. 

[Sugarcoat]

That feeling is there to push you to become something more. You could see it that way and use it to fuel you. Or if you want to settle down for mediocrity that’s fine too

[NewKidOnTheBlock]

You may objectively increase your performance, but the worth of your performance is actually defined by other people. If you think about it

[Sandy6]

I can relate too.

For me, it's maybe not about underperforming or performing at a certain percentage, but rather not prioritizing the most important of my values.

Right now, I'm rewatching the 'How to Become Decisive' video—it helps!

[RendHeaven]

My favorite professor once told me to my face that I am "like a 6 cylinder engine running on 1"

[Aaron p]

I constantly feel like underperforming...that's why I do it.

[Jordan]

20% is not so bad. I wouldn't recommend trying to be 100% efficient. Take the middle path, there is less diminishing returns for your effort. Do the most bang for your buck in terms of emotional effort. Exercise 20 minutes every day, not 2 hours. Work hard 1 hour per day, not 8. Spend time learning 20 minutes a day, not 2 hours. If there is an obvious improvement you can make then do the minimum effort you need to in that area to see a nice improvement compared to the effort put in.

[Schizophonia]

On 28/01/2025 at 0:16 PM, AION said:

When I see people bringing out deepseek and shit, I'm thinking wtf am I doing? I'm squandering a lot of time and potential. I'm like performing on 20% of what I can. It gives me a lot of guilt and shame. But at the same time we have to enjoy life too you know. I prioritized enjoying life and being healthy until now. Perhaps I should not compare myself to the 1% of my field.

It makes no sense to talk about AI programmers because value is purely subjective, especially when you are a man.
You have to build a life that pleases you.

[hyruga]

You will always feel like you are underperforming when you compare with some people. Like Elon Musk has 400 billion+ and he has a huge following.