As a sort of dark opposite to this, it's possible to have virtually zero significant life wins across the board, and yet draw strength from that fact. While yo

As a sort of dark opposite to this, it's possible to have virtually zero significant life wins across the board, and yet draw strength from that fact. While your life might totally suck beyond what you could ever have ever imagined, after a point there is a sort of humor to be found in the absurdity of it all. Failure becomes an afterthought, because it simply means ending up right where you currently are - the bottom. This is the classic "nothing to lose" dynamic working in your favor. Counter-intuitively, the opportunity costs involved seem to matter less and less the more your career and family prospects dwindle. In a weird way, that can be liberating. However, such thinking can be extremely destructive. It's essentially tantamount to starving yourself as a means of motivation, while at the same time applying a Martingale betting system[1] to life planning. Certainly not for everyone, and seeking out such a state is ill advised. I view it more as a way to cope with a situation one finds themself already in the midst of. Despite this, a person still needs to have hopes and desires, just like everyone else - even if such things are in direct conflict with any hardcore apathy they may harbor. Truly believing in what you're trying to achieve, as well as the world of possibilities that it will open to you, is essential - even if it does represent a sort of cognitive dissonance. At the same time, you have to not care about the outcome. The ability to have simultaneous belief in conflicting points of view is an incredible tool to have. To quote an old trading maxim: "You can't win if you have to." [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martingale_%28betting_system%29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martingale_%28betting_system%2...