The Seven ‘Flixes’ of Life: Netflix, Learnflix, Applyflix, Earnflix, Buildflix, Teachflix, And Liveflix

Beyond Binge-Watching: How to Live a Fulfilling and Balanced Life

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in the daily routine of work and entertainment. Many of us find ourselves scrolling through Netflix for hours on end, binge-watching our favorite shows and movies to escape the pressures of everyday life. Yes, entertainment can be a great way to unwind and relax, but there are many other ‘flixes’ that can help us live a more fulfilling and balanced life.

Why I Chose Netflix?

Well, by Netflix I don’t only mean Netflix but also Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Disney+, Discovery+, Hulu, Peacock TV and tens of similar platforms where we binge-watch.

At the same time, I am not urging anyone to stop watching Netflix for two reasons. First, I don’t pretend that someone wastes her or his life on Netflix and other similar platforms because “the time you enjoy wasting is not wasted.”

Second, watching Netflix can be good because it can provide entertainment, education, and relaxation. With a wide range of TV shows, movies, and documentaries, viewers can learn about different cultures, explore different genres, and enjoy high-quality productions. Additionally, some shows and movies on Netflix can inspire creativity and spark ideas for personal projects or hobbies.

But there are some cons too: Well, watching Netflix can be bad if it is done in excess and interferes with other important activities such as study, work, life, socializing, and physical exercise. Binge-watching shows can also lead to a sedentary lifestyle and contribute to health problems such as obesity and poor sleep quality. Moreover, some content on Netflix can be inappropriate for certain audiences or contain harmful messages.

In the following paragraphs, I discuss the seven ‘flixes’ of life.

The Seven ‘Flixes’ of Life

The First Flix: Netflix

Netflix can be a great source of entertainment. It’s important to recognize that it’s just that — entertainment. Spending all of our free time binge-watching shows and movies may provide temporary relief from stress and boredom, but it won’t lead to long-term fulfillment. It’s important to set limits on our Netflix usage and prioritize other activities that will contribute to our personal growth and well-being.

Netflix can even provide a more casual and entertaining way to learn about various topics and themes too.

“Netflix is a great platform for storytellers. It allows for character-driven stories to find an audience.” — Marti Noxon

The Second Flix: ‘Learnflix’

Learning is a powerful tool that can help us expand our knowledge, skills, and understanding of the world around us. However, it’s important to focus our learning on areas that are relevant and useful to our lives. By identifying our personal interests and goals, we can determine what we need to learn in order to achieve them. Whether it’s a new language, a technical skill, or a personal hobby, investing time in learning can lead to greater fulfillment and success in life.

My friend spends 220 euros on an annual Netflix subscription, yet he’s unwilling to invest $10 in a course I suggested. He seems to disregard the availability of over 10,000 free online courses — most of them with certificates. He claims that he doesn’t have the time, but somehow manages to make time for Netflix.

“The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice.” — Brian Herbert

The Third Flix: ‘Applyflix’

Learning is only valuable if we apply what we’ve learned to our lives. Applying our knowledge and skills to real-world situations can help us achieve our goals and solve problems. For example, if we’ve learned a new programming language, we can use it to build a website or create an app. Applying our knowledge in this way not only improves our skills, but also helps us to achieve our personal and professional goals.

During a phone call with another friend who lives in North America, I mentioned how talented he is and that he’s continuously learning. I encouraged him to create a platform where he could apply those skills, asking what he plans to do with all that knowledge. Personally, I would prefer learning two lines of applicable information rather than studying 200 books that I may never put into practice.

“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.” — S. J. Harris

The Fourth Flix: ‘Earnflix’

Some people might say that money isn’t everything, but it is an important aspect of our lives. Earning more money can provide us with greater financial security, more opportunities, and the ability to pursue our passions. However, earning more money requires investing time and effort into developing skills that are in demand in the job market. By focusing on skills that are valuable to employers, we can increase our earning potential and achieve greater financial success.

If you’re solely focused on traditional 9-to-5 jobs, you might be missing out. Firstly, it’s important to have multiple sources of income. Secondly, you need flexibility and time to manage all those income streams effectively. Remember, don’t let time control you; instead, take charge of managing your time.

“The more that you learn, the more you’ll earn.” — Warren Buffett

The Fifth Flix: ‘Buildflix’

Building something that benefits others is a powerful way to contribute to the world and create a sense of purpose in our lives. Whether it’s a new product, service, or community initiative, building something that helps others can be incredibly rewarding. By focusing on our skills and interests, we can identify opportunities to build something that has a positive impact on the world.

Elon Musk has established himself as a top engineer by concentrating on the development of groundbreaking products and services. Suppose you’re a writer, you can do the same by creating influential works, such as books, research papers, or articles. Like Musk, who addresses current challenges, envisions novel solutions, and anticipates future problems, you should consider the impact you can make on your community, city, country, and the world. Even a simple Facebook post can make a difference.

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” — Pablo Picasso

The Sixth Flix: ‘Teachflix’

Teaching is a powerful way to share our knowledge and skills with others. By helping others learn and grow, we can make a meaningful difference in the world. Whether it’s teaching a class, mentoring a colleague, or simply sharing our expertise with others, teaching can be a fulfilling way to contribute to the world and make a positive impact.

As an educator, you go beyond mere reading. You assist those who are illiterate and uninformed in becoming knowledgeable and wise. You encourage well-read individuals to expand their horizons even further. By imparting new information and facilitating understanding of complex ideas, you utilize various forms of communication. Like an everlasting, radiant candle, you illuminate the world around you. Your efforts contribute to the dissemination of knowledge and wisdom across all levels of society.

“The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts.” — C.S. Lewis

The Seventh Flix: ‘Liveflix’

It’s important to recognize that life is about more than just work and productivity. Taking time to enjoy life and pursue our passions is an important aspect of a fulfilling and balanced life. Whether it’s spending time with loved ones, pursuing a personal hobby, or simply enjoying nature, making time for the things that bring us joy can help us live a more balanced and fulfilling life.

In addition to that, consider inventing words that end with ‘flix’ and embody their meaning. For example, create a term like “Ignoreflix” to represent the act of dismissing all negative energy, people, and negativity. If I were part of the Oxford dictionary team, I might even coin the term “Binge-Earn.”

I know a friend who is highly knowledgeable but struggles to market their skills. I should share this article with them and introduce a new term: ‘Sellflix.

I recently stumbled upon a social media post stating that a famous author’s book had barely been purchased or viewed, while his daughter’s TikTok video amassed over 30 million views. Could we call this phenomenon “Techflix”? Perhaps it could be a subcategory of “Learnflix” and other “flix” variations. Indeed, we should seize the opportunity to harness the advancements in technology for our benefit as it continues to progress every day.

I intentionally made this section longer than the others because it relates to the core of our lives. Imagine if Rumi, also known as Mawlana Jalal ad-Din Balkhi, were alive today — would he still write with pen and paper? I’ll leave that open for you to contemplate the “Changeflixes” in our lives. How about “Flexflix”? It’s amusing, as it implies being adaptable to any “flix” variations and embracing them. At least that’s how I see it.

“Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.” — John Lennon

Concluding Remarks

By concentrating on these seven ‘flixes,’ we can cultivate a life that is both rewarding and well-rounded. Prioritizing learning, applying our knowledge, increasing earnings, contributing to the world, teaching and sharing our insights, and exploring other life facets enables us to lead a purposeful, meaningful, and joyful existence.

So, the next time you catch yourself browsing through Netflix, consider whether this is genuinely the best use of your time. It might be an opportunity to delve into other aspects of life and uncover new avenues for personal development, satisfaction, and happiness.

To recall these concepts in the future, consider memorizing this acronym:

Teachflix, Applyflix, Buildflix, Learnflix, Earnflix, Netflix, and Liveflix (TABLE-NV)

Well, I didn’t forget about “Loveflix.” Here is what Sa’di Shirazi, an influential Persian poet and prose writer of the 13th century, has already narrated:

“O Sa’di! No matter how self-centered is the personality of you,” “Take it for granted that ‘love and romance’ cannot be mastered by you.”

I didn’t forget about “Jokeflix,”:

Why does the end of this writing have mixed feelings? Because “Loveflix” made it a bit hard to digest as the story itself couldn’t decide whether it was a happy or unhappy ending!