NEWSLETTER

A Simple Way to Identify Your Real Friends

June 6th edition of the Ma(n)ximize newsletter

Photo by Matheus Ferrero on Unsplash

Even after I had taken up a vow of temporary celibacy, I continued flirting with women and asking them out.

My rationale was like “I don't intend to sleep with them,” and “Kissing and fooling around won’t really cancel my celibacy.”

But as I felt a tingling inner cognitive dissonance, a timely phone call with a close friend laid bare my bullsh*t.

He didn’t hesitate a single whit to point out my coping rationalization — while it exasperated me in the moment, I soon saw the light.

Your REAL Buddies Call Out Your Bullsh*t

There are two kinds of “friends”:

• The crabs that seek to pull you down to their level — “Just one cigarette won’t harm you bro”, and “Eyy! You can skip one workout to party”
• The well-wishers that encourage your positive actions and condemn your negative bullsh*t.

Cut out the former and surround yourself with the latter.

Friends that feed your vanity with validation are worse than your truthful enemies.