Why I Hate The Number 7

(Psst, between you and me, I don’t actually hate that number—but it’s a pretty great title, you got to admit.)

7/10 is not exactly average. It’s actually above average. All things considered, it’s pretty damn good.

It’s also the safe number, the safe thing you say when a kid asks you how you found their homemade (and overbaked) cookie: “7/10! The taste is good, but you could hammer a nail down with it.”

7/10 job? Not exactly what I wanted to pursue, but it pays the bills well.

7/10 partner? They are mostly what I’m looking for, but I don’t think we are soulmates.

7/10 life? I can’t complain—I’m living decently, although I feel like something is missing.

But it’s good but not great, not a 10/10.

That made me reflect on my life.

I’m thinking about all the options I have.

I know I want to build things that will change the world. I want to solve problems worth solving—as an entrepreneur or a changemaker. But what about the alternative to this life?

Go get that degree, work an okay job, climb up the corporate ladder, “wear many hats,” and “close the loop.”

Sure, I may still pursue some passion projects here and there, but not before “I secure my path.”

Again, it really falls into a 7/10. It’s actually pretty damn good—but it’s not a 10/10. I don’t know if it’s greed, but why would I settle for 7/10 when it can go up to 10?

Being courageous is a very convenient thing to say and very nice to hear. However, we often forget that the opposite of courage is cowardice (which sounds so horrible).

And in my opinion, this means settling for average. Someone once told me that I’m courageous for chasing my dream. The logical continuation that we tend to forget is that not chasing your dream is cowardice.

We never use that sentence, though. We simply say:

- It’s not the right time.

- It’s not a safe path right now.

- I have other priorities right now.

But the truth remains: the opposite of courage is cowardice.

When faced with fear, we have the choice to push through it or step back. There is no in-between.

It is true that there’s a degree of courage and a degree of cowardice, but looking at it in black and white—it’s either you’re courageous enough to go forward, or you’re a coward that steps back.

And of course, you can’t stay in the middle. The middle is a shitty place.

We forget that when thinking about our own dreams. We are being cowards by not chasing them. We know what we want, but we let fear stop us—that’s cowardice.

Courage or cowardice. Are you going to be full of courage or a coward?

Putting it that way—black and white, no grey area—really helps. Because every time you have a choice to make, it becomes clear: are you going to do the courageous thing or the cowardly thing?