how most people unknowingly waste their potential
ruining your life is easier than you might think
"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading."
– Lao Tzu
Without structure, things don’t just stagnate – they unravel.
Suddenly you're staying up late, eating takeout, skipping workouts and slowly, you start feeling unlike yourself.
Most people think that it takes something dramatic – addictions or catastrophe – to ruin a life.
But often, all it takes is a lack of order.
Left alone, a life doesn’t hold stead.
It quietly unravels.
The Rusted Sword
An ancient Buddhist parable (adapted)
A monk once asked his master,
“If I stop practicing, will I stay the same?”
The master replied,
“No. You will rust—just like a sword left in its sheath.”
Disorder Isn’t Neutral — It’s Regressive
"A goal without a plan is just a wish."
— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Without a plan, process or even a rough rhythm, things slip into disarray.
A garden becomes overgrown.
A vintage car rusts in the garage.
A human life drifts into wasted potential.
Structure is often thought of as exclusively for high achievers – something reserved for reaching greatness. But the truth is, it’s what keeps us from slipping backward.
Life is an uphill path, and if you stop pedalling, you don’t stay in the same spot, you roll backward.
Without a workout regime, your body doesn’t freeze in time – it decays.
Without learning or challenge, your mind doesn’t stay sharp – it dulls.
Without intention, your potential doesn’t realise itself – it fades.
A life without structure might seem relaxing at first, but over time it becomes a quiet suffering.
You become no different than a tomato sitting on a kitchen bench, slowly rotting away.
Is that the kind of life you want?
Living is not just about existing. It’s about engaging.
It’s doing things. It’s having processes that structure your life in such a way that benefits you. It’s creating order and meaning in your day-to-day life.
Spontaneity is one of the great parts of life – but it needs something to be spontaneous out of. Every rule breaker needs rules to break!
A society without laws is not free. It’s chaos.
And that’s exactly what happens inside us when we don’t have structure in our lives.
Structure is the foundation of progress
"First we make our habits, then our habits make us."
— Charles C. Noble
Not only does nothing get done without a routine and effort, it all falls apart.
We’ve all felt it.
Bedtimes get later. Mornings become rushed. Workouts slow to a halt. Stress creeps in. And that life full of energy we used to have has become a dull, chaotic mess.
But the opposite is also true.
Once you introduce even a simple structure – a checklist, a routine, a plan – life comes together seemingly automatically.
When you focus on each step, and execute correctly, you turn around and notice you’ve walked so far.
You’ve transformed your life, not with extraordinary effort, but with extraordinary organisation.
You don’t need a minute-by-minute breakdown or a perfect system.
All you need vague direction and consistent effort.
Something simple. Something constant. Something that benefits your future self.
Like a craftsman who quietly sharpens a sword – not in a rush, not doing anything complex.
Just caring deliberately.
Sincerely,
eren
Music of the Week
A random collection this week :)