Said Hasyim's Blog

One universal fact is that we will die eventually, but most of us live as if we will live forever.

We forgo taking care of our health now, as we harbor an expectation that our strong body can keep us living for a long time.We continue to luxuriate in our present gratification because we think there is still plenty of time to do something about fulfilling our goals, without noticing that our time gets shorter after each passing day.We let our future self suffer by procrastinating now.

Are you...

Our relationship with money is similar to our relationship with humans.

We don’t hesitate to splurge when the money is earned through a lottery ticket, just as we often take someone for granted who continues to love us unconditionally.

We are thrifty with our hard-earned cash just as we cherish someone whom we struggle to receive love from.

The effort to earn money does not change the value of money, even if we choose to treat them differently.

“I’ll be happy after hitting that $1 million mark”“I’ll be happy after getting promoted.”“I’ll be happy after marrying my dream girl.”

These are some of the common points most people think will make them happy. The truth is, after getting what you want, your expectation bar raises. You want more to feel happy.

This leads to a never-ending race that is set up by our own mind. The race to get to the happiness that never last.

We have been comparing ourselves with what we want to be and not wit...

We are apprehensive about an airplane crash more than food poisoning, even though the probability of death by food poisoning is higher than an aviation crash.

We prefer to bet on a mega-million lottery than on a million jackpot, even if the probability of winning the former is way more minuscule than the latter. 

The more emotional a consequence is, the more we disregard its probability of occurring.

I had the proclivity to rush things, which I’m not proud of.

I rushed to get into meetings on time.I rushed to finish my work.I rushed through any goal I set for myself.

People close to me were hurt the most by what I did. My colleagues felt hurried by me. My family members felt neglected because my spare time got shorter and shorter.

The adrenaline gushed through me, but I, too, felt the damage. I missed the ability to notice opportunities when my focus was too narrow. I missed the ability ...

We often choose to stay timid because we don't want to disturb people.

If you are a receptionist receiving a warm “thank you” from a visitor who is leaving your office, do you feel disturbed or invigorated?

If you are waiting for a lift and a passerby, who is joining you, gives you a compliment, do you feel disturbed or appreciated?

Never shy away from carrying out tasks with positive intentions.

Anxiety can trigger ad infinitum ruminating that makes our brain scan for potential problems. As you lie down to sleep, your mind just won't stop thinking about what may go wrong.

Ruminating easily takes over your brain when you are doing nothing, and your mind is idle. That is crucifying.

Although ruminating is common among people with depression and mental disorder, it is extremely common among healthy people, too. However, they don't experience ruminating as frequent as those with depression....

Most of us believe that the risk of terrorist attacks is larger than, say, motor accidents, although the former count is minuscule in comparison to the latter.

Terrorism makes more engaging headlines than motor accidents. Editors analyze our reactions to news and curate stories that are intringuing to us.

Because we heard terrorist news more often than motor accident news, we are prone to overestimating the risk of terrorism, without consulting statistics.

The higher your status, the bigger your ego grows. It is also the time when your ego is threatened the most.

Do you welcome people who challenge your point of view?Can you let your work be subjected to harsh criticism?Do you have the humility to accept the fact that you are not good enough?

As you climb social rank, you can be dragged right back where you started if you don’t learn to relinquish your ego.

We take a lot risks: climb mount Everest, walk on tightropes, or sky dive. We do it knowing that we are going to die someday.

If it comes a time when we have a biotechnology that can regenerate our organs and grant us an ad infinitum lifespan, what would you do? The only way you could die is if someone killed you or if you got into an accident.

In an ironic twist, you may be unwilling to engage in extreme sports because you will lose your immortality if you fail.

It all comes down to your mindse...