What You Don’t Create, You Will Destroy — I’m turning 29 this week, and the hardest lesson I’ve learned in my third decade is that no amount of consumption will ever help me discover myself. A few years ago, my generation rallied behind a radical new cry against materialism: “Buy experiences, not things.” The result? A shift from…

Success? More like suck-cess — On December 17, 2018, I was a 24-year-old supply chain analyst for 150+ stores in two countries, and I submitted my resignation with a ten-day notice via an email that went out to every executive in my company. I had no plan. However, I realized that I’d rather die poor…

How I found freedom in practical philosophy — I’m Chris Fritz, and I’m a recovering narcissist. In 2019, shortly before turning 25, I hit my all-time low. I was an alcoholic, I hated everyone, and I wanted to die. Philosophy taught me how to stop being a jerk so could finally live a life of freedom and joy. …

How to figure out your “Niche of One” — Perhaps the hardest part of becoming a successful creator is deciding what the f~ck you want to become successful for. If you don’t figure that out first, you can get stuck running a successful business that you hate, which is arguably worse than having a regular job. However, if you…

The difference might save your life — The High Price Of Misplaced Trust There’s nothing deadlier in life than a false friend. History has shown the price of misplaced trust many times: Thomas Cromwell once assisted in the marriage of Anne Boleyn to Henry VIII only to end up orchestrating her execution when the king grew tired of her. Leon Trotsky was an…

Creation demands destruction — Kill The Novice There is a certain violence inherent to creativity: to become who you want to be, you have to destroy who you currently are. …

What happens if they don’t? — Competence ≠ Power In life, you rarely get what you deserve; you get what you take. This is why it often seems like assholes rise to the top while loving, kind people end up struggling in the shadows. How does this happen? People sometimes believe, mistakenly, that the acquisition of money, power, resources…

You don’t need to commoditize yourself — Why Do You Create? Why do you create? Are you looking for “passive income”? Do you want to “leave a legacy?” Are you trying to escape your 9–5 and become your own boss? Those are all good reasons to create, but I think each one slightly misses the mark. So, why should we create…

How to pursue virtue in an amoral world — Life Is Complicated I used to believe in Heaven and Hell. I thought that humans were born inherently wicked and destined for eternal punishment, and that only the death of a pure messiah could wipe away the taint of evil on men’s souls. I’ve realized now that I was half-right. It’s true; most…