Life often feels like a crab bucket. The moment you try to climb higher, someone pulls you back down with criticism, doubt, or even envy. It’s exhausting to fight against this invisible weight. The Stoics, philosophers who lived more than two thousand years ago, left us with a timeless brainhack that can help us rise above not only the crab bucket but almost every obstacle life throws our way.

We’ve all experienced it: that inner voice that won’t let up, the one that criticizes, doubts, and questions our every move. Sometimes it whispers, sometimes it shouts, but its message is always the same: you’re not enough. Ironically, even though research shows that self-criticism fuels stress, anxiety, and depression, many of us keep falling back into it as if it were helping us. The truth is, self-criticism is not a weakness. It is a survival mechanism that our brain and culture have trained us to adopt. But here’s the good news: what’s learned can also be unlearned.

When many entrepreneurs first start their journey, they face the same dilemma: no money. The seemingly easy solution is to take on outsourcing projects to generate cash flow. On the surface, it feels like a practical way to survive, but beneath that surface lies a dangerous trap. Outsourcing is not about selling technology; it is about selling time. The painful truth is that time can only be sold once. Unlike building a product that scales, outsourcing leaves you with nothing more than hours traded for dollars.

Enthusiasm is not something we are born with or something that appears out of nowhere. It is something we can build, nurture, and strengthen. It is the fuel that drives us forward, even when the path is difficult and the obstacles feel overwhelming. Without it, work becomes routine and uninspiring. With it, even the simplest task can feel purposeful and rewarding.

Many of us struggle with the idea of fate. When life delivers hardship, loss, or failure, it feels natural to believe that fortune has treated us unfairly. The Stoic philosophers taught a different path: to never blame destiny, even when circumstances are harsh. We are not the center of the universe, but a small part of something far greater. To live well is not to resist the natural flow of the world, but to align ourselves with it. If fate calls us to live, we embrace life with contentment. If fate calls us to leave, we depart without fear, trusting that nature no longer requires us here.

In recent weeks, protests in Australia against immigrants have drawn international attention. This is part of a broader global trend, where de-globalization and protectionist sentiment are gaining momentum. In the United States, policies leaning toward protectionism and anti-immigrant rhetoric have become more common. Even in Singapore, often recognized for its openness to foreign talent, discussions on online forums reveal growing unease about the presence of foreign workers. It is not difficult to see where these sentiments come from—locals worry about job opportunities, wage pressure, cultural differences, and language barriers. These concerns are real, and they reflect the anxieties of people trying to safeguard their way of life.

Life is a series of choices. Every single moment, whether we notice it or not, we are deciding who we are becoming. From the thoughts we allow, to the actions we take, to the way we respond in difficult moments, our lives are nothing more than the sum of our decisions.

Every great team shares one universal truth: training is everything. Whether on the battlefield, in the boardroom, or in a startup’s war room, preparation determines performance. The U.S. Navy SEALs know this better than anyone. Their success in life-or-death missions isn’t luck or talent—it’s the result of relentless, uncompromising training. And the same principle holds true for business teams.

Each of us is like the Little Prince, a traveler passing through this planet on a once-in-a-lifetime journey. If we are here only once, then learning is not just an option, it is our purpose. We may leave this world empty-handed, but the knowledge, growth, and experiences we gain will shape the richness of our journey. They are what transform existence into a life well-lived.

We grow up being told that success equals happiness. Study hard, earn more, climb higher, then, and only then, you’ll be fulfilled. But here’s the truth: success does not guarantee happiness.