Once you realize that the road is the goal, and that you are always on the road, not to reach a goal, but to enjoy its beauty and its wisdom, life ceases to be a task, and becomes natural and simple, in itself an ecstasy... - Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

''A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.'' - John A. Shedd

Putting all your eggs in one basket makes you care for that basket way more

Not having a back up plan increased my quality of life tremendously. Agree with you 10000%!!

"Life is happening FOR you, not TO you."

When you have a plan b it seems many of us will quit early on because they KNOW they have a plan b. And can get out of a sticky situation whenever it gets uncomfortable. Fully invest into what you want. Things will more than likely change but you’ll be glad you were able to adapt and not quit.

That’s planning for failure Morty. Even dumber than regular planning. - Rick Sanchez

in Buddhism there's a quote saying that "You can't focus on two things at the same time" and that shit really stuck to my head till this day and this video just solidify that idea.

I really needed this today. I’ve been struggling to find the courage to tell my parents that I’m moving across the country to Portland. I grew up in a Filipino household that prioritizes keeping the family together. I don’t have a back-up plan other than this decision, and I knew that if I chose to stay in the same place, I would feel like my life had less momentum. So thank you thank you for helping me solidify why my choice is the right one for me.

It's like what Eckhart Tolle wrote in the book "A new earth", that your inner purpose at any given moment is to do exactly what you are doing right now. There is no other purpose than what you are doing at this very moment since this moment is all we ever have.

This was just the peptalk I needed. "Fling yourself at things. And if it doesn't work out, no shame."

Having a backup plan gives me the confidence to pursue plan A and not lose myself in stress. Plan B doesn't end up being plan A most of the time, it empowers me instead.

ever since going bald Nathaniel looks like an ancient philosopher

Me *who doesn't have a plan at all in life*: what's a backup plan ?

i actually just broke off my engagement to be married because i felt God was telling me to spend more time working on myself. a few days later i quit my 9-5 because that’s not a job i want, it sucks the life out of me. so now i’m living at home, trying to make a living of photography, making youtube videos and hopefully soon, making clothes. this video reassures me of my decision, so thank you!

I am struggling between flinging myself onto the more risky path or staying on the comfortable one I am on. Thanks for the encouragement to fling 😊

This is something I've been trying to incorporate in my daily life. I have plans and dreams that I'm working towards, but I find my days so much more enjoyable when I just enjoy the moment I'm living in. If I'm washing dishes, I'm mindful about every motion I'm doing. I love finding the beauty in the mundane, the everyday things we do. It makes life so much more enjoyable when we just go with the flow, to not hold back as much, and to just try to not worry about always getting to the next step. In another one of your videos, you said a quote that stuck with me so much, I wrote it on the front page of my planner. "There's no getting there. You're already there." It has become a sort of mantra that I have been trying to live by. Because all we really have is this moment right now. ❤️

"Be all in or get all out. There is no halfway." ✨

Seeing such a wonderful change in your general life ethos over the past year or so - it is so enlightening to see you finding value in living deliberately.

As someone who had an all or nothing approach, I've learned that most of life happens in the middle. In the grey, if you will. Whenever you try to go too far in one direction, life has a way of normalizing things. Very rarely can we all be so selfish and decide that this one direction, or goal or desire is all that we want to focus on. The needs of others, the pressures of life always have a way to pull you back in the middle. So I find the key is to optimize what we do and how we operate in the middle. Being the middle helps your prioritize and helps you see what things are a key part of you if you don't feel happy or experience the successes you desire. Best of luck Nathaniel!

I think its so special what happens after that "ferocity" feeling and motivation fades, and you start to become used to failing and falling on your path to your dreams. Once you realize there is no 'back up dream' in your heart but that one, it kinda becomes a presence in your life everyday and its sooo much more enjoyable and joyful

“There is no plan B”.... I love that so much I want to put it on a t shirt.

When I finished highschool I became, on the outside, alot more braver- went from chicago to California for a job without knowing anyone, moved to a foreign country alone at 20, met really cool people and did really cool things. I think in reality the reason I came off as a brave person and accomplished all that I did is the same idea as this. I realized- theres no plan b, just more plan a's. That you go for what u want as hard as u can as long as u can, and if it doesn't work out, u spend a night feeling and disappointed and then u get up in the morning and get a new plan a. U make a list of possibilities, and get yourself psyched for something else. I think we overlook our power as humans to psych ourselves up for things, to get ourselves excited about anything. Its a quality little kids have that adults don't tap into a lot, but they could and life gets sweeter

I live my life exactly the same way - I hate the idea of living life with regrets, because I know it will eat me up inside! So I try to do everything I can to cease every moment...one of the main reasons why I decided to quite my finance job and make films on KZfaq! As that's what I was truly passionate about. Great thoughts bro!

I hope to be carefree in the future. I always have backup plans. It’s hard to get out of the habit of over planning. I’ve never had stability, so I overplan to protect myself and to prevent myself from breaking down. The last time I didn’t have a backup plan and gave my all to something, it failed and it affected me badly.

One thing that has helped me and i feel like i have to share it with the world is a moto that i came up with but i bet someone else has thought of it or even articulated it before me. It goes like this: Making a bad decision is a bad thing, doubting your decision is the worst.

"You can’t sit in two chairs with one butt" ☺😅

i totally agree with this mentality. in a few interviews of arnold schwarzenegger, he stated how he “hates plan b”. and he explained it similar to you, where it detracts from the focus, the plan a, which is the main goal. so, making plan a simply “the plan” with no a’s or b’s or c’s is what helps people truly achieve what they want, and allows us to succeed and develop in great ways :)

Hey we went to three rivers together, doubt you remember me cause we were 4 years apart, but I remember when you had 800 subs and telling everybody about your channel at outdoor school. Just wanted to let you know your perseverance and overall lifestyle have really inspired me, and showed me that making a living online is possible. Im actually moving to thailand in the fall to live at a monastery and study meditation, in the hopes of building an online course. It is truly something to have met you personally then see how big youve gotten over the years.

Makes total sense. If you get too comfortable knowing you have something to fall back on you don't give it your all. If you don't have a back up plan you are too afraid to fail. I'm the type of person that gets paralyzed when it comes to making a big decision. I think of every possible outcome. After that I find things to distract myself and delay it even longer. Seeing this video is at a perfect time in my life. Glad I came across it.

Been reminding myself almost daily to treat my life like a series of experiments, and that the nature of my life and the things I experience is impermanence. Your channel's given me so much hope and guidance this past year. You're an awesome human, Nathaniel!!

Sometimes I just want to leave everything and take it all. Then the thought of "all in good time" absorbs inside and we wait for better wind. For the right time, but there is no right time. Good Video, I agree 100%. I will keep fighting

This speaks to my perfectionism which I have been thinking about a lot lately. No one is perfect. The times I went all out in the face of great challenge, without hesitation, really revealed to me my true character which was surprisingly positive and identity forging. (Like the time my mom was dying in the hospital and I had to step up to make all of her medical decisions). PS I also analyze my menu choices like that, full of regret and comparison

This is why confidence and love are so important - to be confident enough to trust yourself to find a way to make things work, and letting your love for life win against your fears. It’s scary, but liberating. Thanks for the reminder. I hope you’re well.

Funnily enough, I recently read the manuscript for Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment and I found an often misinterpreted idea there: There's no happiness in comfort, happiness is bought with suffering. So trying to find happiness in comfort means expecting too much from comfort, setting it up for failure. This doesn't mean that we should seek suffering, though. I think most people who are following this channel know this already, but I felt like seeking comfort to find happiness is still one of the biggest pitfalls for many of us. Thank you for this video! It's refreshing to see an open heart!

im quite young rn(18) but I chose to avoid medicine because it was too hard and I thought I coukd never pull off such a thing,and now a few years later I finally realize what I need after years of anxiety because I don't what to do,choose the hard way dudes it will make you happy

How timely. I've been focusing on this notion of giving things my all for a while now. I recently quit my job and moved far away from my home city to take the first step toward living a life I love and not a mediocre one like I had. It's both scary and incredibly exciting at the same time. The sense of freedom I am feeling from leaving that life behind is not one I could have ever imagined.

Nathaniel, your philosophy resonates with me. You seem like a genuine empathetic human who wants to share love and help others. That is rare, especially these days. As far as hair goes, in greek we have a saying "Με τρίχες θα ασχολούμαστε τώρα;" - loosely translated: No point to stress over hair (as in something with no real value worth of our time). By the way I took the same decision for the same reasons back when I was 23-24, never looked back again. I look awesome bold ! I wish I could have a real talk with you, about everything and nothing. Have a great week.

I've always had an ambition to study medicine and that ambition is still alive and well today but because I had learned to develop contingencies in case something didn't go right or to protect myself disappointment. This coupled with multiple entry routes that don't fully reveal their bargain until you're staring them insurmountable in the face has left me in a position where I may never get to study it or wait until I'm in my 30s to graduate. I've never really considered that preparing a contingency for every situation in my life could have demotivated me to strive for the things I really desired but hearing it come out of someone else's mouth, articulated so well has made me consider it as a possibility and something to try to amend in future. Either way, appreciate the thought provoking content and hope you have a good weekend.

My mind is wired to do thing only if there's a plan B. Otherwise I'm setting myself to anxiety and I'm going to paralyze before every step. At my age, my brain goes automatically to create an alternative way to do things, an other option to spend that time, and this helps me actually doing the plan A as I wanted. It helps me not to give up knowing I could do other things or similar things but in the other way round. At the same time I cannot give up, if something become my interest I have to do it, so all those "alternative plans" may be simply many ways to reach the same point. I don't know, it fells different, but same. Good inspiration for some self reflection. And as always: potevo scriverlo meglio in italiano.

I've been trying this kind of strategy a lot lately and it's nice to hear you articulate it so clearly. It makes me feel less like I'm impulsive but brave instead

Aww, OMG, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS AND I LOVE YOUR CONTENT SOOO MUCH MY ANGELL !! THIS IS SOO BEAUTIFUL AND CAPTIVATING !! Thank you soo much for this beautiful video !! I LOVE YOU AND ADMIRE YOU SOO MUCH BROTHER !! SENDING YOU LOADS LOVEEE, BLESSINGS, POSITIVE ENERGY AND BIGG HUGSS !! MAY GOD BLESS YOU SOO ABUNDANTLY !! I learn so many valuable lessons through each video of yours, thank you for always challenging my perspective and helping me to grow into a more beautiful version of myself !! I’M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU IN MY LIFE DUDE !! ❤️❤️❤️❤️🥺🦋

That sounds great in theory and I try to strive towards it when I can but its so hard and scary in practice. The comfort that we're so eager to leave is barely noticeable when you have it and painfully apparent when you don't.

I can't express how perfect the timing of this video is for me. I've been in this exact in-between space of having no energy to commit to anything really because after losing my job, I've been looking for a backup plan and then also for a backup to that backup plan. I've only just started to entertain the possibility of fully committing to something without knowing what I'll do if that fails and I've been feeling this sense of peace and excitement at the same time that I've been unsuccessfully looking for for years. So thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! Also, I can only second how amazing Pema Chödrön's work is, absolute recommendation to everyone.

cant leave this space without telling you how you really do show up for me and I believe others at the right time with the right words of reframing. So thanks Nathaniel

You're awesome. Videos on your channels are brain and soul food. Thank you for sharing this with us. It's valuable. Hope you and everyone reading this have a great rest of the week!

Nat,I know you're not addressing us 50+,but we still watch you,and appreciate your wisdom. Under 50 no back up plan Yes. Over 50 have that back up plan. But hopefully by the time anyone is 50 they're in a different place,got a bit in the bank,a useful network,etc. Sadly that's not true for everyone. When this video started I was all ready to post an acid comment (because I'm like that,it's not good) but then as you spoke I realized what you are saying is true. I did that,at the age of 30 having over at least the five previous years realized that the approved way of life I was taught, indoctrinated into,and had inculcated into me by all the influences of family,media (we didn't have social media then but tv,films,books,newspapers,just the "spirit of the age" it was just as pervasive,so I realized it was not ALL THAT and yes,like you said,I packed it all in,chucked it all up,and embarked on life without a back up plan. And I'm still here and I've not gone without a meal ever. I'm saying that you're right,it works. But I couldn't do it now at my age with my bodily infirmities and frailties. I love your philosophy of Slow Travel where you live in a place and get to know it like a local. I've never been into being a tourist. Mainly ha ha as Ive never had any money,that stuff somehow just ain't attracted to me,so I've never did the touristy stuff. But which do the local shop keepers prefer I wonder people like me with no money who never go in there or tourists (most of them nice people) who are in holiday mood and prepared to spend way too much money on loads of crap they'll bin once they get home. Hmmmmm.

This is so true! I'm trying to apply this in my life because i have a "little bit" of perfectionism craze in my life and make me feel very demotivated sometimes. This give me the courage to try to be more "free" in life

You have just formalized a philosophy that has accompanied me in the last years of my life. I see it like a self accountability

When I don`t have a backup plan, I also give 100%. It motivates me so much, and I never did regret it!

you are doing the right thing, and I think you know what you are talking about. No backup plan is a good philosophy. But I personally believe in embracing comfort. I believe seeking discomfort is useful too. But there is something to comfort that merits exploration.

Perfect timing for this video to show up on my feed. I've been debating between careers and having a backup plan definitely makes you want to fall back on that plan because your mind instantly sees it as comforting, not stepping into unknown, but often times we need exactly that to allow us to grow and expand. Thankyou for sharing your thoughts and views as always❤.

Whoa, ok. I've recently accepted that I need to make some huge changes - including moving from Germany where I've been living as a foreigner for 5 years, and thereby leaving my job, even though it's like the holy grail of stable artist jobs. But...I have a stable, comfortable job in a culture obsessed with stability and security and this.is.not.me! I work all year, through weekends and holidays for my 6 weeks of glorious vacation. During this time I mostly travel without a plan, alone, couchsurfing, doing all sorts of amazing stuff I've always dreamed of doing. I am my best self on these trips, I'm in my element. And then I come back and feel locked in a cage. This past summer I was in France and re-connected with all of the reasons I wanted to move to Europe in the first place and my heart screamed, "here! you should be HERE!" and while I'm listening to that call I have also been WRACKED WITH ANXIETY because I told myself I couldn't move until I get a stable job in France which is going to be way way way harder than it was to do here, and thinking about bucking that plan and winging it is TERRIFYING but I have this little voice telling me it's what I need to do, actually. So, I'm telling myself that I stay until the end of the season (I work in the theater), to work on some actually smart practical things like saving more money, getting organized, improving my French, researching visas...and then...I need to jump and trust that my vast creative skillset will somehow carry me. Life is too short to live in a place that makes me sad with a job that makes me feel trapped. Shit long comment but all of this has been going on in my head and your video helped me crystalize that I'm pretty sure I'm also like you - I thrive in the place where the plan is to not really have one and the comfortable life is not the life for me. So...thanks. :)

it can feel so scary to go all out in something, but I agree it is essential to progress at times. great video man

I adore your thought processes and your story telling!!

I couldn't agree more with not having a plan B! It's an energy-wasting strategy! You could be as well just putting that effort into figuring out how to achieve your plan A. Anyway, thanks for introducing me to the Samaya concept! I love it!

honestly this is just what i need! thank u for this reminder :)) ❤️

I stumbled randomly on your channel. Love it, the format of videos usually different but a subtle philosophy behind each of them links them together. Trully unusual and authentic, bravo c'est pas mal du tout haha !

Meditation , chanting , showing gratitude and enjoying Little things in life is the key of living in present for me . Btw love the video and your look❤

Man I love your videos, and that was very insightful. you really are a genuine and cool dude!

Man, this video opened my eyes! I just left my job to go freelance, but as I have a back-up plan, I'm procrastinating every single day. I'm so glad to had watched this, you're awesome, thanks!

This video was very reassuring , especially for those who are choosing to go on the unconventional path. I feel like choosing the uncertain path comes with its own risk and choosing to have no back up and going all in is very reassuring to hear ! Especially from Nathaniel Drew 🙏🏻

I've been wishing you had more videos and only just came across this channel and I love it!

Your videos speak to the soul Nathaniel, completely agree about not having a backup plan! 🙏🏻👌🏻

This is a take I've never heard before now. I've never even seen it that way, but it explains so much, even in my own life. It's a lot to think about.

Wow, so inspiring. I've seen "when things fall apart" on your recomended books but I needed to know the concept of the book and its vibes. This made it, i'm buying it right now

William Borden, heir to the dairy empire went to be a missionary. His brief life summed up in three brief statements he wrote in the front of his Bible: “No reserves. No retreats. No regrets.”

I relate to this so much. Thank you for this video

Thank you Nathaniel, i needed to hear this

I almost lost it when I saw both how recently you posted, and what it was about. I started this morning by journaling and manifesting, and was in the process of writing about remaining centered in each individual breath and moment because we can never get them back... and then I saw this video title! You truly are on the pulse of the human experience, Nathaniel; thank you endlessly for always sharing your current understandings and perceptions of the world with us. Lots of love, from one ephemeral being to another!

thank you for this video. i have made some massive, life changing decisions over the past year. all of them very scary and very intuition driven, which made them even more scary. however i am trying to live by a philosophy of not overthinking too much and listening to my guts and i can tell you rn i am one of the luckiest people alive. this state i am in now is entirely just thanks to all the hard steps i took this year including moving alone to a new city, quitting the university i was in, enrolling in a language course in the meantime, deciding to follow my heart and move to a different country for the potential love of my life for a big part of the year and now getting into a new university. all of which ended up in the best way possible. trust your guts people, that's all i have to say.

This video was exactly what I needed, thank you!❤️

I’m moving to Germany for ten weeks soon and I’m very anxious about it because I’ve never lived in a foreign country before, but your videos are helping me to stay positive and philosophical about the experience. Thank you, Nathaniel.

as always, thank you for an amazing video nathaniel. your insights and experiences are interesting and engaging to listen to.

I had to hear this. Realized something very important. Thank you and very grateful.

I like that message Nathaniel. Thank you for your openness, sending love

✨I have used this often without knowing: when I moved from Europe to the US, career changes... it focuses one on the desired target goal with a whatever it takes attitude. Thank you for sharing about Samaya too! Love the concept and the author ☀️

How inspirational. This was an excellent video and I couldn't agree more!

I think I really needed this today , lately I haven’t been putting my all into what I want to to

As always, great content my man! Not gonna lie the way you live your life is so inspiring and it definitely makes me want to just get up and go.

I can totally relate on the making decisions at a restaurant example. I need to be all in on that food choice!

I love the concept of Samaya! Great video, Nathaniel!

Amazing! Thank you , Nate.

This truly a relatable subject for me atm. The job I have now is kind of OK. Sometimes I have to go around the country and make very long days, which I hate, and then I want to look for another job. But when, at the same job, I have to work in the workshop and really make something I love it. I know I have to find another job so I don't have to make such long days and to move out of my parent's home, but I guess I'm afraid of the change. Now I learned I just have to face these things head on and do what's best for me :)

Thankyou so much Nathaniel for speaking about this topic, and I completely get the "indecisiveness" part 🙌🏻😅

This is exactly what I needed to hear at this moment in my life. Thanks!

Thank you for making this video, I feel like I really needed this.

Just found your channel from youtube's recs, loving this topic that you covered. Hope to see more content from you :)

Being someone who cannot stop secondguessing every.single.decision, I really needed to hear this. I do think the uncertain time we are living in makes it especially difficult to fight against our natural inclination towards safety and comfort. However it is great to be reminded that also safety may come with a price.

Wow, what a powerful message! Thanks for making us think!

Beautiful video!! I needed to hear it

Nathan, I really appreciate the energy you give via the videos. Besides the wonderful denotation of your words, the connotation you bring is my favorite. I really wish I had friends like you. I would gladly listen to what your experience was in “finding your tribe” if you’ve “found” it)

The "little silly example" on the restaurant order spoke to my soul lol that used to be 100% of time, what if scenarios were so exhausting. It's liberating to embrace the present and live in acceptance with what is

Your videos never disappoint, thank you for sharing your interesting thoughts ❤

Such a great video and amazing philosophy. This really helped me realize and let go of a lot of worries I had. Thanks!

Love the subject :) really thought provoking , definitely gonna apply this more. Living life fully and seeing you do it, are really beautiful 💜

You always somehow say exactly what I needed to hear in this exact moment of my life

I've been trying to explain this to my parents that I'm all in when I'm into something I hate backup plan. This video speaks Volume

Exactly. And plus, totally connected to quantum physics. If you are sure of something, you don't need other scenarios.

This is so true, I find that this also happens when I set a schedule for uni work that doesn't have a deadline soon. If I have a backup plan for when I will do it then I almost always end up falling back on it and procrastinating.