Yes, you read “without”, not “within.” I have been told that one way of getting people interested in what goods and services you have to offer is to tell them all the great stuff they can have without the sweat, inconvenience, effort or similar sacrifice they don’t want to make. It facilitates living the Philosophy of Convenience to the nth degree. “Take this. It allows you to eat all you like without worrying about all that cholesterol.” “Get sculpted abs without spending hours working out at the gym, by doing this amazingly simple exercise for just 10 minutes a day!” “Enjoy funtastic holidays without paying for them!” Right. You get the picture.

Yes, you can have a lot of things you really want without the blood, sweat and tears. Stop it! Ask yourself if you would also like your life to be without the zest, depth of experience, the feeling of achievement and the sense of purpose.

Perhaps then you’ll realize the clear and present danger lurking without. Then, so what if you do? I have just one suggestion and a few sub-suggestions, if I may.

Ruggedize Yourself

Turn your cellphone off or put it on no vibration mode when you get to bed. You are not going to save everyone wanting to jump off the edge of a tall building, as abysmal as that may sound. Get up early in the morning, go outdoors and at least take a walk if you happen to be running-impaired. Forget about your cellphone, leave it at home. Get more household chores done, make them your personal responsibility. Start a vegetable garden and eat what you grow. Learn about how easy or how difficult it really is to grow your own food. Keep a pet or two. Better still, raise livestock and enjoy your own roasts. Go to a remote place and learn how to dig a well for your next vacation instead of the usual tourist spots. Live together with the people you’re digging the well for. 

There are many other things you can do to ruggedize yourself, and I’m sure you know what they are. Start doing them. Then you will be safe from the danger without.