Action Items

Disclaimer: You are not Eric. You may be someone who is interested in him, his actions, and his life... but you are not him. The things he liked and did, do not have to be the things that you like and do. This is a short list of things to focus on if you want to live more like Eric. They specifically are things that people can do to be less likely to be someone that Eric would have hated. Eric says that the only people who should be allowed to live on Earth are him and people he chooses. Try to live your life in a way that would give you a chance of being someone he chooses. 

Self Discipline - Eric had incredible self discipline. The best definition of self discipline is "forcing yourself to do what you know you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not". This is the master key to improving your life and being successful. Being disciplined now can bring great benefits in your future life. Self discipline is a habit which must be learned and practiced over time. Eric did what he had to do regardless of his emotions. MORE  

Intelligence - Eric was highly intelligent and disliked those he determined to be less so than him. Being a smart person can mean many things but it generally includes having a quick or high degree of mental ability. Reading more is a great way to increase your intelligence. Try to read one book a month. Beyond book smarts there is a type of social intelligence that is also important. The ability to read a person or conversation to glean insights into their thoughts and intentions is important in life. This takes time and practice studying people and learning how to manipulate them. Eric was a master at this kind of intelligence. Eric also specifically mentions how people say words. Make sure you understand the correct pronunciation of things. MORE 

Daily Goal Setting -  Eric used his school planner to set goals for himself. We also know that he would make to do lists for things he needed to accomplish. This is a great way to get things moving in your life and accomplish more. If you ever get off track during the day or find yourself playing video games for 3 hours and then feeling bad about being lazy, all you have to do is check the list and you can easily start back on a task. Daily goal setting is also beneficial because it forces you to think about what you will be doing before you actually do it. It keeps those tasks in the back of your subconscious mind. MORE 

Action Oriented - Eric spoke often of his disdain for others, especially those who are "all talk and no action". There are so many distractions in the modern world that you need to be able to actually get up and get something accomplished. One great way to help with this is also mentioned on this list, daily goal setting. You need to develop positive habits over time that make actually accomplishing your tasks feel easier. Marcus Aurelius wrote in his mediations "Throw away your books; stop letting yourself be distracted." He is commenting on his own difficulties moving away from reading and thought and into action. Marcus Aurelius knew it. Eric knew it. Now its your turn to take action. MORE 

Treat Animals Properly - Eric was a lover of animals. He had a dog named Sparky who passed away before 4.20.99. Dylan covered his shift at BlakJacks so Eric could mourn with his dog. Eric also wrote an essay for school where he described a time when he cried because he heard a dog that was injured. Eric hated people who were cruel to animals and you should always treat them appropriately. He even mentions how the Earth more properly belongs to animals than it does to humans. In Erics words: "If I ever see anyone on God’s green earth harm a dog or be mean or unkind to any animal, I will SEVERELY hurt you, I swear to god, I swear on my computer, on my car, on my fucking LIFE I will hurt you." MORE 

Rebel Attitude - Dwight D. Eisenhower once said that there are two types of men who will never amount to much: those who cannot do as they are told, and those who only do as they are told. Eric's nickname was Reb for a reason. He was not just a simple follower. He did what he had to do in regards to the obligations in his life. He worked a job and did well in school but he did more than just follow instructions. You too can become more than you are by maintaining a Rebel attitude throughout everything you do. Understand your responsibilities and how to handle them, but only as a means to an end. Do not force yourself into a life that is defined by other people. Eric especially sees this issue with the education system. Schooling has become far more of a social environment than academic one and schools attempt to form you into their own preconceived idea of an ideal adult.   MORE 

Self Awareness - Self awareness is your ability to perceive and understand the things that make you who you are as an individual, including your personality, actions, values, beliefs, emotions, and thoughts. Eric had an advanced sense of exactly who he was and his place in the wider world. He refers to it as an existential type of understanding. You should strive to have a realistic view of who you are and the life you are living. This can mean paying extra attention to the details in your daily life. Focus on people and their interactions with each other and how you fit into their perceived ecosystem. Having a holistic view of things will help you to accomplish your goals. Eric says that everyone has the ability to change, but most will never do it. On a much more specific note make sure to watch where you are waking, walk at a normal speed, and not to block pathways that people are using. Eric is very specific about this. Don't be rude when walking and don't cut in lines. MORE  

Be True to Yourself - Eric says that he would rather die than betray his own thoughts. In the modern world we are constantly bombarded by media and propaganda trying to influence the way that we think. A genuinely strong person can experience outside influences, understand them, and still remain true to their own convictions. Being true to yourself does not mean that you set your life's course and then never deviate. You must take your whole experience in totality and use that to determine your true intentions. MORE 

Taking Advantage of what you have  - Eric says that the vast majority of people do not take advantage of the capabilities they are given at birth. Most people just drop them and hop onto the boat that is society and allow themselves to be sailed downstream. Don't be one of these people. Opportunities lie behind every turn in your life, especially if you are an American. Try to recognize times or moments where you can take advantage. Do not waste your talents on meaningless pursuits. Eric specifically mentions the memorization of NCAA basketball stats as an example. Now, to me, this doesn't mean you cannot spend time on leisure pursuits, it just means that you have to have a certain amount of balance in your life. There is no problem with playing video games, but if you play so much it negatively affects your life, you may be squandering advantages that have been given to you. MORE 

Don't be Racist - Being a racist is on Erics list of hates. He advocates for judging people based on merit and the content of their character rather than skin color or national origin. He is right. We are stronger as a group when people are promoted or demoted based on ability and not on color. This is pertinent today with race becoming a common determinant in college and job applications. In Erics words "don’t let me catch you making fun of someone just because they are a different color because I will come in and break your fucking legs with a plastic spoon." MORE 

Personal Hygiene - Eric is very clear about his thoughts on smelly or dirty people. Take the time and put in the effort to take care of yourself. This includes regular dental hygiene such as brushing your teeth. Daily showers are a necessity. Be aware of how you are presenting yourself and how others may see you. Eric explicitly says that he is not making fun of anyone who has extenuating circumstances such as economic or medical problems that prevent them from taking care of themselves. Set a routine each morning where you prepare yourself for the day. Personal hygiene includes physical fitness. He specifically singles out fat people as not being worthy of living on this planet with him. Now, this doesn't mean that if you are fat that all hope is lost. Just like anything on this list, you need to start working at it. MORE  

Tell the Truth - Eric hates liars. Lying is a difficult thing to do because it becomes harder and harder to keep track of everything. You may gain some immediate benefit but it never works out in the end. Eric specifically talks about lying about dumb things like trying to make yourself seem cooler to others. Eric singles out Brooks Brown as the worst type of liar and his actions post 4.20.99 have proven that. Don't just tell the truth when it suits you or when it is convenient, always tell the truth. This is especially important in the modern world. With all the talk of "my truth" vs "your truth" be a person who is dedicated to the actual truth. MORE 

If you start to work on these action items you can improve upon yourself and, hopefully, become someone who Eric wouldn't hate. Just remember that Eric wouldn't want you to compare yourself to other people. Everyone has their own individual circumstances that affect their progress. Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, or last week, not who someone else is today. 

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