NEWSLETTER
The Surest Sign of A Friend Worth Never Losing In Your Life
November 2nd edition of the Manximize newsletter
Panting like a pig, “Bro, bro, let’s stop!” I gasp.
Pumping out yet another pair of cossack squats, “No stopping. 5 more. Let’s finish the set”, he urges me on.
25 in and while he’s exhausted, I’ve regained my mojo. “35’s a good number. Let’s gooo!”, I push him on.
We hoist each other up to 50 — before collapsing in heart-drumming perspiration.
50 non-stop cossack squats on each side — right after a set of heavy-bag shin kicks.
Alone, that’s impossible — even if I’d snorted down a can of Gorilla Mind pre-workout.
Most “Friends” Are Bucket Crabs That Pull You Down
The brutal workouts are only the tip of the iceberg.
Bouncing valuable ideas off each other. Trying new productive stuff out. Doling out brutally honest life advice and feedback. Being there when life punches you in the gut. Holding each other accountable to prevent any derailing.
That, my dear reader, is an actual friend.
A real friend PUSHES you up — not PULLS or chains you down.
Recall your “friends” and pass them through a few question filters.
- Is he/she a net positive or negative in your life?
- Do they heighten your self-belief and positivity? Or fill you up with doubt and despair?
- Do they discourage, mock, or become envious of your growth? Or do they feel genuinely happy for you and use it to fuel their own growth?
- Would cutting them out of your circle elevate or degrade your life?
- Does he/she call out your bullsh*t or delude you with fake flattery?
Post this exercise, you’ll realize over 90% of your “friends” were never really your friends.
One Deep Friend > 10 Shallow Ones
The auditorium’s packed, and the air is electrifying.
Led Zeppelin’s about to perform live — but the announcers drop the sudden bomb, “Sorry folks, Led canceled last minute. To make up for them, we’ve lined up 5 local indie band performances.’
With ear-bleeding booing and violent expletives, the crowd-turned-mob stalks out of the stadium destructively.
Because 5 average concerts can’t add up to 1 stellar one.
Quality >> quantity — 1 Deep friend >> 10 Shallow ones.
“If you consider any man a friend whom you do not trust as you trust yourself, you are mightily mistaken and you do not sufficiently understand what true friendship means… When friendship is settled, you must trust; Speak as boldly with him as with yourself… Regard him as loyal and you will make him loyal.”
— Seneca, Letters from a Stoic
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