Azia Ludwig

11/08/2015
Personal Life Philosophy of Azia Ludwig
One thing I cannot stand is a weak individual. If you cannot sustain your own
life without the help or support of someone else then you should be allowed to die.
Exceptions exist for our children and elderly. However, if you are reading this, a
twenty something year old that is so dependent upon others for your own existence
that you cannot survive without them, then I have one thing to say to you; change
or die. Change yourself. Change the way you view yourself. You have been given the
greatest gift on earth and that is to be part of the human race. We are the peak of
evolution, as we know it. Generations have fought and died to continue their
offspring so you can exist. Why would anyone want to squander that? The truth is, if
you find yourself as one of these people, that you think too little of yourself. You
have not allowed your body and mind to be pushed to their limits. You have not
allowed yourself to be shocked by what your true potential really is. Statistical and
Evolutionary Analysis of Biological Humans explains that all humans exist based on
circumstances so fragile that if even one person from our past was set off course
that we would no longer exist.
Do not be afraid of fear. Fear is your mind urging you to be cautious. It tells
you that if you are not careful you may be hurt by something or someone. Being
afraid of fear is succumbing to that intense feeling and not allowing you the
opportunity to experience greatness. Because there is greatness inside each one of
us. It exists whether we believe it is there or not. Dont believe me? I will prove it to
you. Reach into your pocket right now and pull out your cell phone. Play on it as you
would if you were stuck in class waiting for a teacher to show up. The technology

you are holding is manmade and the level at which you operate it far surpasses
anything our ancestors would dream of holding. Our brains are so high functioning
that we downplay all of our abilities in comparison of the hyperelite among us. So
next time you are faced with an opportunity to experience fear remember, you are
truly great and your body and mind are at the peak of human evolution. Allow
yourself to feel fear. Allow yourself to be blown away by the possibility that you, yes
you, are capable of amazing things.
Strength. Not just brute strength but being mentally strong too. I firmly
believe that having the physical ability to survive any earthly situation is a must.
Imagine now as you read that the ground below you gives way. Your comfortable
recliner is swallowed up by a hole so deep that you are afraid to look down it.
Having the physical ability to run, jump, and climb is the only thing between you
and imminent death. This situation is extreme I know but circumstances happen on
a daily basis that require quick reflex and physical ability. Without them, we would
not have the luxury we do today. We might have found ourselves being quickly
devoured by wolves or bears and our ancestors might not have ever had the
reproductive success required to pass down these wonderful genes. Therefore, I ask
you, could you stay alive? If you answered yes then congratulations because that is
exactly the type of physical strength, I am talking about. If you answered no, then
change or die. Do not delay the inevitable. Change now before it is too late. Do not
allow the pressures of everyday life be your excuse that catalyzes you into a body
that cannot sustain itself.
Mental toughness. Here is the tricky part. You have your independence, you are
aware of fear and use it to guide you, you are physically strong and can survive if
need be, but will your mind allow you to reach reproductive success. This of course

meaning that you will have offspring and those offspring will reproduce successfully.
Then and only then can you say you have reached reproductive success and can
rest easy knowing that you have done your job. Many young, capable, men and
women have allowed their minds to become so sick that they end their own lives.
They had all the previous boxes checked but mental strength is the hardest trait a
person can have. Truly, through this trait everything and anything can be
accomplished. This is not a genetic trait, contrary to common belief, it is a learned
behavior and it is never too late to learn it. It requires daily thought and effort that
may seem repetitive but trust me; it is the key to our existence. Think of something
that made you feel bad about yourself, whether it is someone elses success or
something you do not like about yourself. Now explain logically to yourself, what
triggered that feeling. For instance if I see an old high school classmate who has it
all, the job, the spouse, everything, I might feel bad about myself. I then ask myself
why. The answer nine times out of ten is societal pressures. Our culture focuses on
material possession to the point where bagging a hot spouse is just one more
possession you can check off your list. It is this thirst for possession that makes us
feel bad about what we have regardless of the loving and caring relationships we
may take for granted. The next time you practice this exercise remember, count
your blessings and recognize negative thoughts as not your own, but as our
societies pressure.
Finally, we have reached our last and final value. Social intelligence. This like
any other value can be worked on and mastered. This will allow you to blend in if
need be and stand out when you deem necessary. This value takes time and
observation and can vary from group to group. When entering a room think of
everyone as a potential ally. Someone who would help you survive if need be. You

can win them over with a few quick techniques. Do not wait for someone to reach
out to you; you must force yourself to be outgoing. Commit to eye contact and then
take steps to reach out to them and say hello. People may be shy themselves so do
not be frustrated with short answers. Ask questions and be polite. This will help
build a foundation of trust. Continually remind yourself to listen attentively and try
to ask questions about topics you find interesting to better engage yourself in
conversation. Throw away personal bias, this will only limit you and create a
profound disadvantage for you. You need all the friends you can get. This is true
with all humans according to Friends to the End: the True Value of Friendship in
which it is explained that friendship contributes to our own self-esteem and
wellbeing. This book also states that as friendships grow our social intelligence does
also.
My life philosophy is based around survival because that is what I deem most
important. A strong body and mind are needed to weather the tests of this world
and reach reproductive success. Fear will show us how to be safe and survive
harmful situations but you must not run from it. Friends will help you along the way
and the more you have the higher chance you have of survival. Look for any
opportunity to learn to skills and create new friends. You will never know when you
will need them.

Works Cited
Greive, Bradley Trevor. Friends to the End: The True Value of Friendship. Kansas,
Mo.: Andrews McMeel, 2004. Print.
Stumpf, M. P. H. Statistical and Evolutionary Analysis of Biological Humans. London:
Imperial College, 2010. Print.
Clough, Peter, and Doug Strycharczyk. Developing Mental Toughness Improving
Performance, Wellbeing and Positive Behaviour in Others. London: Kogan Page,
2012. Print.
Laurance, Jeremy. Pure Madness: How Fear Drives the Mental Health System.
London: Routledge, 2003. Print.