A new year is at the doorstep, unfolding like a blank page. New Year’s Eve – bleak, cold, and noisy as it may be – invites us to turn inward and reflect upon the past year.

Buried in the depths of our consciousness, we find more than just fleeting illusions. Quite the contrary: Those who engage sufficiently may discover a deeper, profound truth. It is the only truth we truly know. It is deeply personal. It is the foundation of life. It is the ego in the third person.

Let’s say, you are the average man. You spend a lot of time on the internet, playing video games or watching porn. Are you happy? I don’t mean do you feel good right now, I’m talking about true happiness. So, let me ask you again: Are you really happy? If your answer is yes: Congratulations, you are a liar. If it is no, let me tell you something:

I was there once. I know what it feels like to be deeply unhappy. Rotting away in a smelly, messy room, with no work to your name, no apparent purpose and using porn and videogames as a crutch. In fact, I still do. It’s been quite a while since I discovered self-improvement, but only recently did I decide to take it seriously.