Story:<p>At one point, I realized I was fighting a lot of battles over principles that were taking time away from me that could've been used on objectively <i>much</i> better pursuits.<p>Despite realizing this, I had a hard time cutting it out.<p>So, I put a post it note on the wall in front of my desk, with big letters - "WIN"<p>Anyone who came across it misunderstood. They thought it was something competitive. Nuh-uh, just the opposite. Whenever I saw the note, I was forced to ask myself, "Well, what <i>is</i> winning? Is it winning an argument? Or is it spending my time building the best life possible for myself?"<p>So I got a particularly unjust parking ticket, total BS, for like $60 in Los Angeles. And I'm getting pictures, and all gearing up for a fight, and then I think - "What the fuck am I doing? I could make a couple hundred dollars in the time it takes me to fight this BS." And so I gritted my teeth, paid it, and went and made a couple hundred dollars instead, doing enjoyable work for good people, and then I had more money and less stress.<p>Yeah, the jerks get $60 of revenue they don't deserve, but my goal isn't to make them lose, it's for me to win. Spending three hours fighting California for $60 is not winning. I understand principles, I'll never let a betrayal or extortion attempt work, but making a fuss over $5 when presumably you could freelance yourself at $35+ per hour is... well, what is winning? Everyone answers the question differently. But it's worth some serious reflection on when there's actions that advance every conscious life goal you have more than whatever the petty nonsense du jour is.