Jeremy Cole (known as J. Cole) is one rapper that is redeeming the old-school rap game. His lines have been termed to be suggestive, others say he’s racist and all kinds of negative critiques. But you do not have to be a true hip-hop enthusiast in order to understand the reasoning behind his lines, well maybe with a bit of translation. I believe he is one of the most gifted musicians of our generation and he is a gifted storyteller. The disease of more is one of those songs that has really spoken to me.
“Why did I want it and what did it do for me when I got it…?”
After I watched J. Cole’s video ‘The disease of more’, that question just resonated with me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUxQJkcZNSA
Like for real, I think many of us are after something… whether it’s money, attention, validation, relationships if you can’t let ‘that’ person go, to look a certain way, to own certain things etc.
I think it’s important to step back for a moment, put your pride aside, be real for a minute and ask yourself, why do I really want it? What is it going to do for me?
I’m not out here saying not to have aspirations, it’s good to dream big and aim high. I’m just trying to provoke you to think about your intentions. Why are you so eager to get this thing? Are you doing it for the right reasons? Is it actually going to satisfy you?
When you are so focused on the ‘idea’ of attaining a specific thing, it’s hard to admit to yourself that maybe this is not going to make you happy or satisfy you, you may already know it deep down but you just continue as everyone else is doing it and it’s painful to shatter your own dreams or the ideas you’ve built up. But it will probably be more painful chasing after something, to only realise it’s not actually all that great.
I’m going to put it out there and say that for me I’ve struggled with trying to impress people. However, in order to do what I do best, I’ve had to be real with myself and be like bro, you can’t do that (in other words working on self-love, praying about it and changing my mindset). The journey of self-love/acceptance is a complex one and it’s not as straightforward as saying to yourself ‘I’m beautiful’ every day. One aspect is being courageous enough to admit to yourself the truth and the willingness to question yourself.
You need to question your motives for wanting what you want. Ask yourself whether you will really be happy if you get the things you are longing for.
What do you really want to do with your life? Maybe it’s time to find out. Check out Ikigai The Japanese Concept: Discover Your Passion With These Four Simple Steps
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