I wrote this last night before going to sleep. Maybe it'll be useful to you.
The "pleasure" we imagine is a lie. It brings negative consequences: to our health (mental and physical), to our productivity (poor rest, loss of focus, distortion and laziness), to our peace of mind (as a result of lacking self-control), and to many other things. But above all, to the formation of destructive habits, instead of productive ones.
True "pleasure" comes from good habits: waking up early, exercising, eating well, sleeping well, and working properly with a clear mind toward our goal(s), plus studying our field and way of life.
We don't lose anything by avoiding the negative. We gain in every sense. The feeling of loss comes from a lack of purpose and self-confidence, as a consequence of being unable to maintain productive habits and therefore living with the negative ones instead.
There is no such thing as balance through compromise. There's no need to lie to yourself saying that one day of "bad pleasure" is fine or necessary. On the contrary, doing so throws everything off balance, because bad habits trigger a pattern that's hard to reverse. Again, true enjoyment comes from feeling good by building new habits. The bad ones destroy us in every sense.
Your mind is in charge, and you only control it when you carry out excellent habits throughout the entire day.
Don't fall into the self-made trap of idleness and harmful pleasure.
You only deserve rest, weekly, monthly, quarterly, biannually, or annually, when you've given everything and with your best habits.
Habits define us, and the good ones make us happy. The more you work on your purpose (yourself), the happier, more at peace, clearer, more harmonious, and more confident you'll feel.
Every day you start from zero. Choose to win every single day and great success will come on its own. You won't feel desperate, because you'll already be successful.
Confidence is the reward for consistently carrying out positive habits without failing. If you don't have it, or you've lost it, look at your days and focus on executing your best habits with discipline.
In my case, I achieve confidence, peace, happiness, and the sharpest focus by:
- Waking up early
- Working hard, without distractions, giving my best
- Exercising for 1 hour or more (gym, walking)
- Eating healthy (proteins and fats, water, fruits and vegetables)
- Studying for 1 hour or more (reading)
- Sleeping well
I'm not perfect. I've gone through phases of distortion and fog. And I've identified that these come as a consequence of negative habits. By following my list, I am free.
Each habit triggers the next. The will to do something is a consequence of what came before. That's why it's important to win from the very beginning. Everything starts with waking up. Focus there, and you'll win the day.