The 10 rules of existentialism

1. Minimalism

We have limited time, energy and concentration. Hence, it’s important to have few targets and focus on them with all our energy. Having a minimalist approach also works against the tendency to acquire things needlessly. We tend to think that we need more and more to be happy, safe, and fulfilled. However, we do not need to have a lot. All we need is enough money to survive, enough people in our lives who we can call friends and enough passion to make our lives worthwhile.

2. Authenticity

It takes a lot of courage to live a life you’d value. What we truly value may be against society, our families or society. However, lying to oneself and living for others will be like cheating ourselves and we’d not be happy. Ideally, we’d want to live a life which is correct for others and us. A life which is good for us end up affecting others also in a good way because others and we form part of the same system. Therefore, being at your best is good for everyone. From a Buddhist point of view too, others and we are just one. Improving oneself improves everything around us.

3. Look for wisdom and not Knowledge

Knowledge is what we acquire from reading while wisdom is what we obtain from living life experiences and learning from those experiences. To learn from life, we need to expose ourselves to experiences. Thus, it’s important to take risks, try new things and learn at the expense of failing at times. At some point, we need to enjoy the process of learning. We need to relish the challenges, pain and suffering which accompany the process as well.

4. Put your will into things.

There are people who believe in destiny, God or some other powers out there who will take care of us. Existentialists take full responsibility of their lives. They have the will to work hard and take full responsibility of what they do and their consequences. Existentialists take full responsibility of their lives.

5. Love your destiny.

Nietzsche mentioned the term Amor Fati which means “Love your faith.” It means to accept your destiny fully and not to complain about things in your life. From a zen perspective, real power lies in fully accepting both the good and bad of lives. We should live our life in such a way that we’d want to live it repeatedly if we had the opportunity to do so. This is setting a very high standard about the kind of life we are living. This is setting a very high standard about the kind of life we are living.

6. Don’t fear failure.

Let failure burn us into ashes and let us be reborn like the phoenix. We need to view our greatest failures as opportunities to kill ourselves and be reborn from such experiences. We need to find meaning in our suffering. The weak lets himself drowns in their suffering. We are not weak. Look at your oppressor in the eye and say I am waiting for you.

7. Always speak your truth.

Every time you don’t speak the truth. You die. You die as you think your input isn’t valuable and not worth it. Standing for your truth isn’t always comfortable, but it’s what makes you feel alive. Speak about what you think is real. It gives another energy to your actions.

8. Stay connected to nature.

Fresh air, exercise and being out is good for the body and mind. Make it a priority to exercise daily.

9. Be Pragmatic

Learn from experience and always sacrifice your little ego for wisdom, experience, and the quest for the bigger truth. You don’t need to win arguments. You need to look for the truth and try to always look at things from all angles to have a wholesome perspective on things. Don’t think that you are the centre of the universe, and everything is just happening to you. You are dust. Give yourself to the universe and rise.

10. Be a superhuman

In your mind, you should be more than just a man. You should strive to see beyond your weaknesses, emotions, and limits of being a human. You have the power to turn your setbacks into learning experiences. You have the power to take your worst feelings and turn them into fuel to propel you to your better life. You are the master of your destiny. Rise.