imagine being completely alone on an island for 48 hours and all you have is
island for 48 hours and all you have is
island for 48 hours and all you have is an orange a bag of granola some water in
an orange a bag of granola some water in
an orange a bag of granola some water in a sleeping bag that’s it
a sleeping bag that’s it
a sleeping bag that’s it that means no phone no supervision and
that means no phone no supervision and
that means no phone no supervision and no shelter to many of you this probably
no shelter to many of you this probably
no shelter to many of you this probably sounds absolutely crazy and probably a
sounds absolutely crazy and probably a
sounds absolutely crazy and probably a little bit terrifying but it was one of
little bit terrifying but it was one of
little bit terrifying but it was one of the best experiences I’ve had and I
the best experiences I’ve had and I
the best experiences I’ve had and I wasn’t doing this because I lost the bet
wasn’t doing this because I lost the bet
wasn’t doing this because I lost the bet or I thought I could be a Navy SEAL for
or I thought I could be a Navy SEAL for
or I thought I could be a Navy SEAL for the day
the day
the day I was doing it as a requirement for my
I was doing it as a requirement for my
I was doing it as a requirement for my semester abroad in the Bahamas now why
semester abroad in the Bahamas now why
semester abroad in the Bahamas now why would any teacher make you spend two
would any teacher make you spend two
would any teacher make you spend two days completely alone on an island like
days completely alone on an island like
days completely alone on an island like many of you I love being with my friends
many of you I love being with my friends
many of you I love being with my friends and I think it’s super convenient to
and I think it’s super convenient to
and I think it’s super convenient to have my phone at all times to text my
have my phone at all times to text my
have my phone at all times to text my parents for advice or Google anything
parents for advice or Google anything
parents for advice or Google anything imaginable but I didn’t have this and so
imaginable but I didn’t have this and so
imaginable but I didn’t have this and so I was pretty surprised when my teachers
I was pretty surprised when my teachers
I was pretty surprised when my teachers told me it was gonna be an amazing two
told me it was gonna be an amazing two
told me it was gonna be an amazing two days but at the end I realized I had
days but at the end I realized I had
days but at the end I realized I had never been so productive before let me
never been so productive before let me
never been so productive before let me tell you a little bit about my
tell you a little bit about my
tell you a little bit about my experience first of all I had no prep
experience first of all I had no prep
experience first of all I had no prep whatsoever I didn’t know where I would
whatsoever I didn’t know where I would
whatsoever I didn’t know where I would be or what resources I would have so
be or what resources I would have so
be or what resources I would have so when I was dropped off I was completely
when I was dropped off I was completely
when I was dropped off I was completely on my own my first task was build a
on my own my first task was build a
on my own my first task was build a shelter the problem was I had never
shelter the problem was I had never
shelter the problem was I had never built a shelter before so I did what I
built a shelter before so I did what I
built a shelter before so I did what I could
could
could I found sticks I found buckets and I
I found sticks I found buckets and I
I found sticks I found buckets and I found sand and I built what I called a
found sand and I built what I called a
found sand and I built what I called a Cabana now it might not have looked like
Cabana now it might not have looked like
Cabana now it might not have looked like any Cabana any of you have ever stayed
any Cabana any of you have ever stayed
any Cabana any of you have ever stayed in but it was something to me because I
in but it was something to me because I
in but it was something to me because I had made it all by myself and then of
had made it all by myself and then of
had made it all by myself and then of course in the middle of the first night
course in the middle of the first night
course in the middle of the first night the wind picked up and the entire Cabana
the wind picked up and the entire Cabana
the wind picked up and the entire Cabana knocked down onto me so there I was
knocked down onto me so there I was
knocked down onto me so there I was middle of the first night completely
middle of the first night completely
middle of the first night completely alone and I had to brainstorm a new idea
alone and I had to brainstorm a new idea
alone and I had to brainstorm a new idea so let me stop here for a second I’m
so let me stop here for a second I’m
so let me stop here for a second I’m sure most of you are probably thinking
sure most of you are probably thinking
sure most of you are probably thinking this sounds like a terrific experience
this sounds like a terrific experience
this sounds like a terrific experience right I know when I tell my friends this
right I know when I tell my friends this
right I know when I tell my friends this story they say why would you ever do
story they say why would you ever do
story they say why would you ever do that and that’s because being alone
that and that’s because being alone
that and that’s because being alone whether on an island or in your everyday
whether on an island or in your everyday
whether on an island or in your everyday life can be an uncomfortable feeling and
life can be an uncomfortable feeling and
life can be an uncomfortable feeling and in the digital age it’s become easier
in the digital age it’s become easier
in the digital age it’s become easier than ever to avoid being alone how many
than ever to avoid being alone how many
than ever to avoid being alone how many of you will take out your phone while
of you will take out your phone while
of you will take out your phone while you’re sitting at a restaurant or
you’re sitting at a restaurant or
you’re sitting at a restaurant or standing
standing
standing I know I do in fact a psychology study
I know I do in fact a psychology study
I know I do in fact a psychology study showed that when people who were alone
showed that when people who were alone
showed that when people who were alone in a room with nothing but an electric
in a room with nothing but an electric
in a room with nothing but an electric shock machine they chose to self
shock machine they chose to self
shock machine they chose to self administer shock for a distraction I
administer shock for a distraction I
administer shock for a distraction I imagine people will intentionally hurt
imagine people will intentionally hurt
imagine people will intentionally hurt themselves just so they aren’t sitting
themselves just so they aren’t sitting
themselves just so they aren’t sitting there alone and just thinking it sounds
there alone and just thinking it sounds
there alone and just thinking it sounds pretty crazy to me but it’s because
pretty crazy to me but it’s because
pretty crazy to me but it’s because being alone can be such an undesirable
being alone can be such an undesirable
being alone can be such an undesirable feeling so back to the island
feeling so back to the island
feeling so back to the island middle of the night entire shelter has
middle of the night entire shelter has
middle of the night entire shelter has collapsed the cool thing is I made the
collapsed the cool thing is I made the
collapsed the cool thing is I made the shelter myself and so I can fix it
shelter myself and so I can fix it
shelter myself and so I can fix it myself
myself
myself when I built it there was nobody there
when I built it there was nobody there
when I built it there was nobody there watching me or making any comments about
watching me or making any comments about
watching me or making any comments about any potential flaws so when it fell down
any potential flaws so when it fell down
any potential flaws so when it fell down I had nothing to be embarrassed about
I had nothing to be embarrassed about
I had nothing to be embarrassed about there was nobody judging me so I got
there was nobody judging me so I got
there was nobody judging me so I got right back up and I built a new shelter
right back up and I built a new shelter
right back up and I built a new shelter now this was pretty eye-opening to me
now this was pretty eye-opening to me
now this was pretty eye-opening to me because I have to admit in groups I can
because I have to admit in groups I can
because I have to admit in groups I can be a little bit self-conscious but
be a little bit self-conscious but
be a little bit self-conscious but because I was alone I didn’t have to
because I was alone I didn’t have to
because I was alone I didn’t have to worry about what anyone else was
worry about what anyone else was
worry about what anyone else was thinking and even though I had no idea
thinking and even though I had no idea
thinking and even though I had no idea how to build a shelter for some reason I
how to build a shelter for some reason I
how to build a shelter for some reason I kind of did felt feel confident so I got
kind of did felt feel confident so I got
kind of did felt feel confident so I got back up and I made my new shelter
back up and I made my new shelter
back up and I made my new shelter psychologists have proven this over and
psychologists have proven this over and
psychologists have proven this over and over again that self-esteem is boosted
over again that self-esteem is boosted
over again that self-esteem is boosted when you’re pursuing something that
when you’re pursuing something that
when you’re pursuing something that you’re really interested in with passion
you’re really interested in with passion
you’re really interested in with passion and creativity and you’re a lot more
and creativity and you’re a lot more
and creativity and you’re a lot more likely to pursue something you’re
likely to pursue something you’re
likely to pursue something you’re interested in when you’re completely
interested in when you’re completely
interested in when you’re completely alone you’re not worried about what your
alone you’re not worried about what your
alone you’re not worried about what your friends or your family are thinking so
friends or your family are thinking so
friends or your family are thinking so if you guys still aren’t convinced you
if you guys still aren’t convinced you
if you guys still aren’t convinced you should spend more time alone let me give
should spend more time alone let me give
should spend more time alone let me give you some cold facts first of all there
you some cold facts first of all there
you some cold facts first of all there have been numerous studies done showing
have been numerous studies done showing
have been numerous studies done showing being alone enhances your productivity
being alone enhances your productivity
being alone enhances your productivity but there are also so many successful
but there are also so many successful
but there are also so many successful people that have pointed to being alone
people that have pointed to being alone
people that have pointed to being alone as why they’re so successful for example
as why they’re so successful for example
as why they’re so successful for example Steve Wozniak co-founder of Apple has
Steve Wozniak co-founder of Apple has
Steve Wozniak co-founder of Apple has said that all artists do their best work
said that all artists do their best work
said that all artists do their best work in isolation Bob Dylan is one is one of
in isolation Bob Dylan is one is one of
in isolation Bob Dylan is one is one of the best examples of this he wrote one
the best examples of this he wrote one
the best examples of this he wrote one of his most famous songs completely
of his most famous songs completely
of his most famous songs completely isolated in the cabin so the next time
isolated in the cabin so the next time
isolated in the cabin so the next time you’re alone instead of scrambling to do
you’re alone instead of scrambling to do
you’re alone instead of scrambling to do something take some time to be alone
something take some time to be alone
something take some time to be alone because you might find you’re the most
because you might find you’re the most
because you might find you’re the most productive and create
productive and create
productive and create version of yourself
”
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