The goal of Stage One is to teach us how to function within society so that we can be autonomous, self-sufficient adults. The idea is that the adults in the community around us help us to reach this point through supporting our ability to <a href="https://markmanson.net/risk">make decisions </a>and take action ourselves.But some adults and community members around us suck.<a href="https://markmanson.net/four-stages-of-life?utm_campaign=mmnet-blog-v2-09a-four-stages-of-life&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=mmnet-blog&amp;utm_content=read-the-four-stages-of-life&amp;vgo_ee=4egJkP9GFrAO7eNME8VS9xwUnRnlmwiuCIJkd9A7F3A%3D#footnote-1">1 </a>They punish us for our independence. They don’t support our decisions. And therefore we don’t develop autonomy. We get stuck in Stage One, endlessly mimicking those around us, endlessly attempting to please all so that we might not be judged.<a href="https://markmanson.net/four-stages-of-life?utm_campaign=mmnet-blog-v2-09a-four-stages-of-life&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=mmnet-blog&amp;utm_content=read-the-four-stages-of-life&amp;vgo_ee=4egJkP9GFrAO7eNME8VS9xwUnRnlmwiuCIJkd9A7F3A%3D#footnote-2">2 </a>

Stage One: Mimicking

Life is a bitch. Then you die. So while staring at my navel the other day, I decided that that bitch happens in four stages. Here they are.

Understand yourself and those around you.

psychology

Psychology

philosophy

Philosophy

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

mentalhealth

Mental Health

problemsolving

Problem Solving

The Four Stages of Life

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

books

Books

communication

Communication

The Four Stages of Life

Souvik Ghosh