# Choose Values over Discipline

Lately I've been struggling with self-discipline.

I've been giving an ungodly amount of my precious attention to YouTube and Reddit. The outside world induces so much anxiety; the Internet™ is an anaesthetic. Rather than spending my attention on something uncomfortable for 90 seconds, I spend my attention on easy/novel/funny/exciting/unoffensive/comfortable content for hours.

I've tried to ditch YouTube many times. I've blocked myself on `/etc/hosts` and installed browser extensions and employed all the psychological tricks. But I always come back.

Luckily, I recently stumbled upon Bryan Lunduke's video, [_Giving up YouTube for New Years_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkMSGRmEtaQ).

The surprising thing about the video was that it wasn't actually a New Year's Resolution. It was a simple conviction: "YouTube conflicts with my values and I'm done supporting them".

## Reasons to Quit

I have many friends who successfully quit smoking. None of them quit for selfish reasons:
- "I don't want my kids to see it."
- "My girlfriend didn't like the smell."
- "I want to live long enough to meet my grandchildren."

In all three cases, my friends identified that smoking harmed their precious people.

Rather than saying "I _should_ quit smoking because it's bad for me", they said, "I _quit_ smoking because it's against my values".

Make goals a matter of _values_ rather than _discipline_.

## Exercising Effort

Following your values requires minimal energy.

I don't murder people. It's not a matter of self-discipline; it's simple values. Because it's against my values, my brain doesn't even provide it as an option in day-to-day life.

I love being the center-of-attention. I have to exercise self-discipline, because humility is not really a value of mine yet. I'm just faking it until I feel it. And being humble will require discipline until it becomes a true value of mine.

I don't steal things. I don't have to exercise self-discipline, because stealing doesn't even occur to me. Because it's against my values.

I have trouble taking care of my body. I frequently start and stop going to the gym because I rely upon self-discipline, which wavers. Health and fitness are not values for me yet.

## Social Media

As of today, quitting social-media is a matter of values for me.

- Social-media is engineered to be addictive.
- Social-media's censorship policies are bad for public discourse.
- Social-media silos communities and encourage echo-chambers.
- Social-media exploits our hard work and attention for ad revenue.
- Social-media radicalizes society's most susceptible people.
- Social-media perpetuates a culture of self-entitlement and narcissism.
- Social-media encourages vicarious living rather than actual living.

This is not a New Year's Resolution.

## Conclusion

Stop using self-discipline.

Think about your values and let yourself do the right thing.