The Exquisite Joy of Being Nothing

May 5, 2017

Do you ever get tired trying to uphold the image other people have of you?

Do you ever feel exhausted trying to defend past accomplishments?

Do you ever feel the weight of the world on your shoulders?

Here’s one of my favorite stories:

“You are eight years old. It is Sunday evening. You have been granted an extra hour before bed.

The family is playing Monopoly. You have been told that you are big enough to join them.

You lose. You are losing continuously. Your stomach cramps with fear. Nearly all your possessions are gone. The money pile in front of you is almost gone. Your brothers are snatching all the houses from your streets. The last street is being sold. You have to give in. You have lost.

And suddenly you know that it is only a game. You jump up with joy and you knock the big lamp over. It falls on the floor and drags the teapot with it. The others are angry with you, but you laugh when you go upstairs.

You know you are nothing and know you have nothing. And you know that not-to-be and not-to-have give an immeasurable freedom.”

For fun, try being nobody.

Try being the underdog.

Try being the one with no expectations.

Try living a day with no mandatory places to be.

You may just find it’s glorious.

My book is called The Inevitability of Becoming Rich, and you can find that here.