I'm not going to hold anything back. Get rid of your television. Being entertained via TV programming is probably the most passive activity in the world, except for sleeping. I'm not knocking it because it is physically lazy (although it certainly is), but rather because it has the capacity to completely transform someone's life in a negative way.

I was a big gamer as a kid. It kept me indoors on nice days, kept me relatively small and weak, made me socially awkward, and honestly, kept me stupid. I received good grades in school because I was a good test taker, a stroke of good fortune that would not work in college. I regularly watched many movies and TV shows, too. Around 2002, I was working three minimum wage jobs and was unable to afford gas money to drive to all of them. I sold my TV for about $50 so I could keep working another few weeks. When the money ran out, I started biking to work. I was so busy that I did not notice the TV was gone. I also did not notice how my life started to improve in almost every measurable dimension. I started to become mentally and physically tough, traits that would serve me well as a US Marine. I wasted less of my own precious time, freeing up more time to focus on programming projects as a Computer Science student. I'll stop here since I think you get the point.

For those trying to grow your business or personal brand, why do you enjoy watching other people get rich? If you love sports so much, why are you idolizing those on TV when you could be shooting hoops yourself? Can you think of anything else that helps you unwind? Perhaps, something more mentally active, like playing with your children, writing a blog post, or tinkering with new technology? I like to plop down and relax like everyone else, but I do so in silence to rest my racing mind, or perhaps while reading an exciting book. Oh, for what it's worth, when I met my wife in 2012, she didn't own a TV either, and we have never looked back.

I know there are many great educational TV programs out there, especially documentaries. But don't lie to yourself; chances are you seldom watch them. This was my excuse for a long time, too, and I know firsthand how easy it is to self-rationalize a bad decision. If you have young kids, I understand that TVs may be unavoidable, and I'm not going to tell you how to raise your offspring. But I would implore you, as an adult, not to partake.

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