This will make you WANT to work hard.

Summary

In this insightful video, the speaker explores the concept of finding meaning over happiness to sustainably outwork peers without burnout. Drawing from Emily Smith's Ted Talk, the script emphasizes the importance of belonging, serving beyond oneself, and personal development for a fulfilling life. It offers practical reframing techniques for common activities like work, watching TV, and using social media to imbue them with a sense of purpose. The speaker encourages viewers to seek meaningful experiences and relationships, ultimately contributing to a life of value, as supported by Albert Einstein's quote on striving to be valuable rather than merely successful.

Takeaways

• 😟 The word 'work' can evoke feelings of anxiety and tiredness even before starting, which is a common sentiment shared by many, including the speaker.
• 🏆 The speaker emphasizes the importance of outworking peers by developing a strong work ethic, which was a key factor in their success at a top university.
• 🎓 The speaker never experienced burnout, suggesting that a positive mindset and approach to work can prevent such issues.
• 📚 A Ted Talk by Emily Smith on finding meaning in life, rather than just chasing happiness, was a pivotal moment for the speaker's perspective on work and life.
• 🌟 The speaker suggests that happiness is not the ultimate goal of life, but rather finding meaning through belonging and serving beyond oneself, as well as self-improvement.
• 🔄 The key to sustainable hard work is reframing one's mindset to find meaning in what they do, rather than focusing solely on the pursuit of happiness.
• 🛠️ Work should be viewed not as a chore but as a step towards achieving something one is destined for, using personal potential and life experiences.
• 📺 Watching TV and other forms of entertainment should be reframed as experiences that contribute to life's memories, rather than mindless consumption.
• 📱 The speaker advises against mindless scrolling on phones, suggesting it lacks control and can lead to wasting time on unwanted content.
• 🎮 Video games are reframed as a form of entertainment that can be addictive, and the speaker recommends focusing on 'leveling up' in real life instead.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Spending quality time with loved ones is crucial and should be reframed as an essential part of life that contributes to finding meaning and happiness.
• 💡 The speaker concludes with the idea that having the right mindset is the first step to living a happier and better life, aligning with Albert Einstein's quote on striving to be valuable.

Q & A

What is the main issue discussed in the video script about people's attitude towards work?

The script discusses the common negative perception of work, where it is associated with pain, struggle, and a lack of happiness, which makes it difficult for people to outwork their peers.

What does the speaker suggest as the key to making work enjoyable and sustainable?

The speaker suggests that finding meaning in life and reframing one's mindset to see work as a path to fulfillment and personal growth is the key to making work enjoyable and sustainable.

What is the main message of Emily Smith's TED Talk mentioned in the script?

Emily Smith's TED Talk emphasizes that chasing happiness is not the solution to life's challenges; instead, defining meaning in life is what leads to a happier and more content existence.

According to the script, what are the two main sources of meaning in life as explained by Emily Smith?

The two main sources of meaning in life, as per Emily Smith, are belonging and serving something beyond oneself, and developing the best within oneself.

How does the speaker relate the concept of 'meaning' to their own work ethic and success?

The speaker relates the concept of 'meaning' to their work ethic by explaining that they find enjoyment and fulfillment in improving their human capital, developing themselves, and helping others, which contributes to their ability to work hard without burning out.

What is the speaker's perspective on the common advice of taking breaks and self-care to achieve happiness?

The speaker believes that taking breaks and self-care, while important, should not be the primary focus for achieving happiness. Instead, they argue that finding meaning in one's work and life activities is more crucial for long-term happiness and fulfillment.

What are the five common actions the speaker suggests reframing in order to find meaning and enjoyment?

The five common actions are: 1) Work itself, 2) Watching TV, 3) Scrolling on your phone, 4) Playing video games, and 5) Spending quality time with loved ones.

How does the speaker propose to reframe the concept of work to make it more appealing?

The speaker suggests reframing work as moving towards an achievable goal that one is already destined to reach, believing in one's potential and using work as a means to fulfill that destiny.

What is the speaker's view on the use of entertainment like watching TV and how should it be reframed?

The speaker believes that entertainment should be reframed as an experience that contributes to creating memories and bonding with others, rather than just a way to fill idle time.

How does the speaker feel about the use of social media and short-form content like TikTok?

The speaker is critical of mindless scrolling and consuming short-form content, viewing it as a lack of control over what one is exposed to and a potential waste of time.

What advice does the speaker give regarding the use of video games and how to reframe them?

The speaker advises reframing video games as a less important pursuit compared to the 'game of life,' focusing on earning real-life achievements and experiences instead of virtual ones.

Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of spending quality time with loved ones?

The speaker emphasizes this because they believe that people often become desensitized to this advice and may not prioritize it enough, forgetting the importance of these relationships in contributing to a meaningful life.

What is the speaker's final recommendation for living a happier and better life?

The speaker's final recommendation is to have the right mindset first, focusing on finding meaning in life and reframing daily actions to contribute to that meaning, as suggested by Albert Einstein's quote about striving to be valuable.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Overcoming Work Aversion and Finding Joy in Effort

The speaker begins by addressing the common negative feelings associated with work, such as anxiety and exhaustion, and shares personal experiences from their time at Caltech. They ponder the idea of slacking off and question the societal pressure to outwork others, which often leads to more pain and less happiness. The speaker then introduces the concept of finding a key to make working enjoyable and sustainable, hinting at a mindset shift inspired by a TED Talk by Emily Smith. Smith's talk emphasizes the pursuit of a meaningful life over mere happiness, suggesting that people in societies where happiness is the ultimate goal often end up more depressed. The speaker relates this to their own experience, working more hours than a typical job without feeling miserable or burned out, and promises to share the secret to this sustainable work ethic in the video.

05:00

🌟 Reframing Life's Activities to Discover Meaning and Avoid Despair

In this paragraph, the speaker delves into the actionable steps for finding meaning in life, as opposed to just chasing happiness. They critique the common advice found on platforms like YouTube, which often lacks a deeper mindset component. The speaker believes that the right mindset and action are interlinked in a cycle of self-perpetuation. They introduce the idea of reframing daily activities to imbue them with a sense of meaning, as suggested by Emily Smith, who defines meaning as belonging to something beyond oneself and developing one's best qualities. The speaker reflects on their own hard work and how it has been fulfilling because it aligns with their personal growth and the ability to help others. They encourage viewers to reframe their perspective on work and other activities to find joy and purpose in them.

10:02

🎮 Rethinking Leisure Activities to Enhance Life's Meaning

The speaker continues with a detailed discussion on reframing common leisure activities to make them more meaningful and purposeful. They address watching TV, suggesting that it should be a source of creating memories and bonding experiences rather than a mindless pastime. The speaker also touches on their brief encounter with TikTok and the decision to avoid short-form content that can be a waste of time. They advocate for intentional consumption of media and information. Video games are discussed next, with the speaker sharing their childhood enjoyment but current disinterest due to being engrossed in the 'game of life.' They encourage earning real-life achievements instead. Lastly, the speaker emphasizes the importance of spending quality time with loved ones, suggesting that this recharges us and fuels our drive to contribute to something beyond ourselves. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for viewers to reframe their daily actions to find and enhance meaning in life.

🔄 The Struggle and Growth in the Pursuit of Personal Development

In the final paragraph, the speaker shares their personal journey of applying to a program using a platform called 'Applicant Lab.' They reflect on the value of investing in resources for personal development, drawing a parallel to common expenditures on less essential items. The speaker discusses the importance of understanding the motivations of admissions committees and aligning one's goals with those of the institution. They express a moment of self-doubt, questioning their ability to remain committed amidst distractions and less meaningful tasks. However, they express determination to give their best and find the right mindset to excel in the application process. The speaker concludes by inviting viewers to share their experiences and thoughts on working hard and finding meaning, aiming to foster a community of growth and support.

Keywords

💡Work

In the context of the video, 'work' is presented as a common source of anxiety and is often viewed negatively, associated with pain and struggle rather than happiness. The speaker explores the idea of reframing one's perspective on work to find meaning and fulfillment, which can lead to a more enjoyable and sustainable work ethic. For example, the script mentions that 'working' is not appealing for most and is associated with more pain and less happiness.

💡Anxiety

Anxiety is defined as a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. In the script, it is mentioned in relation to work, where the anticipation of work can cause anxiety even before starting any tasks, illustrating the negative emotional response work can elicit.

💡Chasing Happiness

The concept of 'chasing happiness' refers to the pursuit of joy and contentment as the primary goal in life. The video suggests that this approach can paradoxically lead to increased depression and a sense of dissatisfaction. It contrasts with the idea of finding 'meaning,' which is presented as a more sustainable path to a fulfilling life, as mentioned when discussing Emily Smith's Ted Talk.

💡Meaning

Meaning, in the video, is portrayed as a deeper and more significant objective in life than mere happiness. It is derived from belonging, serving something beyond oneself, and developing one's best qualities. The script emphasizes that finding meaning can lead to a more satisfying and less despairing life, as opposed to solely chasing happiness.

💡Reframing

Reframing is the process of changing the perspective or interpretation of something. In the video, it is suggested as a method to transform negative connotations of work and other activities into positive, meaningful actions. For instance, the speaker talks about reframing work from a chore to a step towards an achievable goal.

💡Burnout

Burnout is a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion often caused by excessive and prolonged stress. The script mentions that the speaker has never experienced burnout, which is attributed to their ability to find contentment in working more than the typical 9 to 5 job by attributing meaning to their work.

💡Mindset

Mindset refers to a set of attitudes and beliefs that influence how a person interprets and responds to experiences. The video emphasizes the importance of having the right mindset to sustain hard work and to find joy in actions beyond the pursuit of happiness. It is highlighted as a critical component in the 'ying-yang action and mindset' cycle.

💡Belonging

Belonging is the sense of being part of a group or community and feeling accepted by that group. In the script, it is identified as one of the sources of meaning in life, as per Emily Smith's Ted Talk, and is related to the idea of finding fulfillment in work and life by connecting with others.

💡Self-Care

Self-care is the practice of taking actions to maintain or improve one's own health and well-being, especially when facing stress. The video mentions self-care in the context of it being insufficient on its own to combat feelings of despair and the need to go beyond self-care to find deeper meaning and fulfillment.

💡Autopilot

The term 'autopilot' is used metaphorically in the script to describe going through life or work without conscious thought or intention, merely reacting to circumstances rather than actively shaping them. It is suggested that living on autopilot can lead to a lack of fulfillment and a sense of despair.

💡Value

Value, in the context of the video, refers to the worth or importance of something, particularly in terms of one's contribution to the world. The script concludes with a quote from Albert Einstein about striving to be valuable rather than successful, emphasizing the importance of finding meaning through one's actions and contributions.

Highlights

The speaker shares personal experiences of feeling unmotivated by the concept of 'work' and how it's generally perceived negatively.

Discusses the idea that working hard can be associated with pain and struggle, contrasting with the leisure of others.

Introduces the concept of finding a key to make working hard enjoyable and easy, which is the main topic of the talk.

Shares the personal journey of working hard and outworking peers without feeling miserable or burned out.

Mentions listening to a Ted Talk by Emily Smith that emphasizes the importance of finding meaning over happiness in life.

Cites George Orwell's view that happiness is not the main objective of life, aligning with the idea of finding meaning.

Points out the paradox that in countries with high living standards, depression rates are still high.

Suggests that the solution to depression and mental health issues is to define meaning in life, not just chase happiness.

Introduces the actionable steps to reframe mindset and make work and life more meaningful.

Explains that meaning in life comes from belonging, serving beyond oneself, and developing one's best attributes.

Provides a personal example of reframing the concept of work to feel enjoyment and fulfillment in self-improvement.

Advises reframing common activities such as watching TV, scrolling on phones, and playing video games to add meaning.

Encourages spending quality time with loved ones and reframing this time as essential for recharging and belonging.

Uses a graph to illustrate the decreasing time spent with loved ones compared to co-workers, emphasizing the importance of cherishing personal relationships.

Endorses the idea that striving for value rather than success leads to a happier and more meaningful life, quoting Albert Einstein.

Shares the speaker's current application process and the use of resources like 'Applicant Lab' to improve the application experience.

Reflects on the struggle of maintaining focus and the importance of understanding the motivations of admissions committees.

Concludes with a personal note on the challenges of staying committed and the need to get into the right mindset for success.

Transcripts

when you hear the word work how does

that make you feel anxious tired before

you've even started doing anything work

isn't appealing for most people and I'm

no different at Caltech I complained

with my engineering classmates and I

wondered if I slack off how bad would it

really be you might associate working

with more pain more struggle less

happiness thus it's hard to outwork

other people because you're literally

putting yourself through more pain while

other people are chilling at home

watching Netflix however there's a key

that makes it easy and enjoyable to

outwork your peers and that today is

what I'm going to share with you yay a

team it's Amy to become valid Victorian

and to get into a top 10 University I

did things like extra math outside of

school LED multiple clubs and played

Varsity Sports you could say that I was

outworking a lot of people right you

might think I had to be miserable right

to this day when I work more than other

people like right now when I'm working

way more hours than a typical 9 to5 job

I can say that I've always been content

and no I've actually never burned out

knock on wood but I think that what I'm

going to share with you in this video is

the key that helps me be able to do this

sustainably on the plane while flying to

my sister's graduation she also

graduated from Caltech woo go orange

beavers I listened to this amazing Ted

Talk it was there's more to life than

being happy by Emily Smith she explained

that when people think all there is to

life is to be happy and they chase

happiness people actually end up being

way more depressed as famous author

George Orwell says men can only be happy

when they do not assume that the object

of life is happiness like think about

the United States as a first world

country our lives are actually really

good if you think about it and you can

watch this video on your phone or your

laptop you probably have hot running

water you probably have so many things

that you take for granted but that make

your life comfortable and nice however

why are the depression rates so high why

do kids have such bad mental health

these days Emily Smith explains that the

solution is not to chase happiness but

it's defined meaning in life if you're

working and studying and you go about

life on autopilot believing that you

need to take more breaks to make

yourself happier you need more self-care

to make yourself feel better then you're

more likely to feel the sense of Despair

like asking yourself is this all there

is that's why that ironically to live a

better happier life we have to reframe

our mindset into making the things we do

meaningful not happier now you might be

thinking Amy why do you keep telling me

just to think differently that's not

helpful I want actionable steps see

that's the issue with a lot of the

content on YouTube nowadays it's all

things like wake up at 6:00 a.m. eat

healthy foods like you've heard it all

before but what you're missing is the

mindset part of ying-yang action and

mindset go together in a

self-perpetuation waiting cycle where

most of the time we struggle with doing

the right actions because we don't have

the right mindset so the key is to

reframe in your mind each of the things

you're doing as whether they are giving

you meaning but what is meaning in life

Emily Smith shares that according to a

renowned psychologist meaning comes from

belonging and serving something Beyond

yourself and from developing the best

within you after I heard this my mind

was blown wow because I finally

understood why I could work so hard is

because I felt enjoyment and fulfillment

in improving my human capital by

developing myself and helping others

making myself someone who is also

greater able to help others in the

future work has a negative connotation

but waking up and having something to

strive for something you need to pursue

brings Joy that's why several of my

friends told me that they're Uber rich

friends are depressed they can sit

around playing video games and scrolling

on their phones and buying as many Louis

Vuitton bags as they want but they don't

feel like there's a meaning to their

lives now that we know the key is

reframing let's reframe five common

things number one work itself think

about work not as something you're

forced to do or something that might get

you a result but think of it as you

moving toward something you already know

you can achieve my friend tyi told me

just yesterday that he feels anything in

the world he can achieve it if he wants

to and that's exactly the attitude you

need believe that whatever you're

pursuing that that is already part of

your destiny and all you have to do is

continue putting in the actions to get

there so believe in the potential that

you were already born with and

understand that everything in your life

that's happened to you all of your

knowledge experiences relationships are

there for a reason to get you somewhere

you're meant to be here's how I use

reframing to become valid torian I

believe that it was already in the cards

for me to rank number one as long as I

put in the work if it's so definite that

I will get the result I want then why

wouldn't I do those steps all I'm doing

is making my ideal future happen number

two watching TV there's absolutely

nothing wrong with watching TV I watched

Legend of cor literally today while I

was eating lunch but many people after

work and school will spend all of the

rest of their waking hours in front of

the TV on YouTube flipping through

Netflix Life is Beautiful because of our

experiences and memories so we need to

reframe watching TV as not giving

yourself new memories in 5 years you

will not remember the drama that

happened on gry's Anatomy so pick me

choose me love me or the 12 seasons of

Gossip Girl are there 12 Seasons I don't

know see I don't watch these shows in

entertainment is something you use to

fill space when you're bored that's why

movies are for plane rides when you're

waiting somewhere or you try to

entertain yourself if you have

excitement towards life and the

experiences you can have there's no need

to be filling that time as if there's

nothing else to do with your life movies

and shows are still great but I really

try to watch them with other people so

that it becomes a memory and a bonding

experience number three of course I had

to cover this one scrolling on your

phone believe it or not I tried getting

into Tik Tok during lockdown during

spring of 2020 I downloaded Tik Tok and

I tried to scroll through the for you

page but each time the moment I hit

something I didn't like I closed the app

cuz I was like ew and I eventually

stopped trying I gave up trying to

consume short form content completely

because why would I want to risk wasting

my time on something I don't like I

don't even want the mere Poss ibility of

my eyes and brain getting hit with

something it didn't want to see in the

first place yeah sure there are tips and

hacks but every time you save those

videos like do you ever go back and

actually use those in fact sometimes if

I watch a YouTube short not by scrolling

but by clicking on it through the

homepage I find out facts that I did not

need to know I don't need to know about

that you keep that to yourself like I

did not need to know that Ariana

Grande's voice has changed again like

that's just purely being out of control

and see I don't like that so that's what

I reframe scrolling as it's a lack of

control because in life with all the

things that are outside of our control

why would we want to put one more thing

outside of our control if I want a

solution for glossy hair or how to get

straight A's I'll go purposefully search

it up on YouTube learn and close it I

didn't ask to be told I should buy

things I don't need and that I never

even knew existed number four video

games I really liked games when I was a

kid because I did have to time to play

them with my sister and I found that fun

but I think a lot of times we get

addicted to games online of getting the

extra level those extra points I don't

play any games now because I'm so

addicted to this game of life I am so

excited about the work I can put into my

YouTube channel and in my relationships

and gaining value from that and leveling

up myself in real life so that's how you

reframe games whether it's on your phone

on your PC on the PS5 on the switch earn

things in real life whether it's money

New Opportunities skills and level up in

real life five spend quality time with

loved ones why do I put this on this

list it's because I think when we are

told too much to cherish our loved ones

or to be productive or anything else

when you hear that hundreds and hundreds

of times you become desensitized to that

advice where if it becomes something

that you're resistant to doing like you

tell yourself you should work hard all

the time but the more you hear it and

the more you think oh I should do this

the less likely you really want to do

that it is so important to recharge and

spend quality time with your loved ones

but I think that myself included we

don't prioritize that enough so on the

screen I'm going to pop up this graph to

put some things into perspective whether

it's family or some friends the time you

spend with them decreases dram atically

while you actually spend more time with

your co-workers on your deathbed you're

not going to wish that you spent more

time at the office you're going to wish

that you spent more quality time with

people you love you're also going to

wish that you did more things to make

them proud thinking that way helps us

actually follow through and cherish time

with family and friends those are the

five common actions that we want to do

or not do and how to reframe them that

way it's easier and more enjoyable for

you to do the actions you know are good

for you the last one is really important

indirectly because when you recharge and

you get energized by interactions with

other human beings that makes you more

excited to work on something that goes

beyond yourself and it makes you more

excited to belong to a certain group and

finally it makes you want to continue

developing yourself all of these

contributing to finding meaning in life

as Albert Einstein says I heard he's

pretty smart so we better listen to him

strive not to be a success but rather to

be a value I truly believe that now more

than ever to live happier Better Lives

we need to have the right mindset first

so if you want to learn more about

yingyang you can check out this video

where I talk about the concept and how I

got through a disability that I had

please please please please please

please don't break my heart okay that's

the Sabrina Carpenter song but please

please please let me know your thoughts

and your experience with trying to work

harder and how to find meaning in your

life I would love our comment section to

be like a Reddit thread where we read

each other's experiences and have

conversations because that all helps us

grow together in our a team thanks until

next

time this is update number two of my

applications throughout this weekend

actually it's Monday throughout the past

3 days I have been using what's called

applicant lab and it's a platform that

helps me go through all of the different

steps and gives advice about how to

apply to this program really you know

practicing what I preach we should

definitely definitely be willing to

spend money on resources when we spend

money on clothes and eating out all the

time so this has been extremely helpful

because I didn't use a consultant when I

was in high school and I think that's

definitely one of the things that would

have dramatically changed my results one

of the things to do as soon as possible

that I did and recommend for applying to

anything is to sign up for any mailing

list or Communications about events I've

been watching videos with advice about

what the admissions committee is looking

for what the admissions committee's

background is and what their goal is of

admitting certain applicants for many

cases like this program it's about The

Branding of the school so they want to

admit people where they can be famous

and super successful in the future and

also donate back to the school your fate

is in their hands is about serving them

it's about understanding their

motivations and how that ties to your

goals so it's honestly kind of a

struggle right now I feel like

throughout the years my brain has

deterior

deterior deteriorated if that doesn't

say something I don't know what does

because of all the distractions and

little to do tasks that feel like all

high priority right so it's it's like

pretty hard I'm trying to get my mind

committed as much as my body is

committed and just making sure I'm not

going through the emotions anyway maybe

it's been a while since I've been

challenged in this specific way even

though YouTube and other work has been

challenging but I just kind of feel like

do I really have it in me anymore but I

believe that I can still give my all and

I just need some time to get myself in

the zone