SHOTBEFORE

shotbefore.com.au

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LOST PERSPECTIVE

FIND YOURSELF

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FIGHTING ADDICTION

Addiction relies on the weaknesses of others to thrive, allowing it to take full control over their rational state of mind. Without focusing on what is better for us, we are left thinking only of our short‑term wants rather than what is right for us in the long run. Addiction has the negative power to dull the consequences of our choices and instead sheds light only on the present moment, where a quick fix can sate our needy demands. The frustrations of failure repeat when we go against our own value system, which is put in place to keep us focused on self‑preservation. This is because we like to believe we are stronger than our plagued addiction, and every time we fall, we fail ourselves, with only ourselves to blame. Taking ownership of our bad choices is the best way to recognise where we went wrong, and knowing where we went wrong is the only way to correct our mistakes. People spend a lot of time pursuing a healthy lifestyle that includes nutritious eating and fitness, but without a healthy mindset, we remain vulnerable to our weaknesses. So spend time strengthening the mind—this will help set you free from the addictions that try to hold you down, preventing you from becoming who you are truly trying to be.

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INEVITABLY FOOLISH

Once a person lets their biased views take over, what remains of their rational mind is ignored, and inevitably, foolish thoughts are seen as truth. Empathy is a good thing when it doesn't interfere with truth, but believing that people are faultless, and that everyone is good if you just give them a chance, is naïve. We have to accept that everyone has the power to make poor choices, even those we consider intelligent. If good exists, then so does evil. If you allow yourself to be played because you intentionally ignored the signs, then you are not as smart as you think you are. Smart people aren’t gullible to repetitive lies told over and over again. So, if you want to learn from the brazen mistakes of others, don’t let them set you up for a fall. Be good to those who deserve your goodwill, and stop making yourself vulnerable to those who will take advantage of you, friend or foe. If you ignore the instincts that try to protect you, then you have willingly chosen the path of becoming inevitably foolish. Don’t ignore the part of you that warns you when you are about to make bad choices, or you’ll only find yourself on a less-than-desirable path ahead of you.

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FAILURES WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES

It is through experiencing failure in our lives that we learn the most invaluable lessons. However, if we refuse to acknowledge that it is our own poor choices that have led us astray, then those lessons will never truly take hold. A stubborn mindset will continue to repeat the same errors over and over again, because it believes it can do no wrong, shifting responsibility and blame onto others. If we accept accountability for our choices and use the knowledge we’ve gained from our mistakes, those lessons gain the power to guide us onto the right path. There is nothing wrong with making mistakes, but repeating them will only harm your self-worth. No one is infallible, so when you do make a mistake, own it. Reflect on where you went wrong so that next time, you can make a better decision.Denying your role in the mess you’ve made might bring short-term comfort, but in the long run, the truth will set you free, if you allow it to.

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DIVIDED MIND

As children grow older, they change from their simple lifestyle and basic desires to a more complex and competitive way of living with higher expectations. Even though it is easy to say that the past is in the past, it does not always mean that your past has no bearing on your present day—especially if you strongly believe that you have unresolved issues.This is why, unless you have managed to satisfy those early lifestyle preferences and personal desires before reaching a certain age, you may find that your past eventually catches up with you, bringing a great deal of emotional baggage left for you to unpack. What might seem trivial to some of your peers may feel very different to you. You might view your past endeavours as failures, and those feelings can carry their impact into the present day, affecting your adulthood. This sense of failure can manifest itself as a constant hurdle of disappointment, reminding you that perhaps you did not put enough effort into trying to achieve your dreams. It is this feeling that can transform a hopeful, confident child into a scared and anxious adult, simply because the life plans they once imagined were never fulfilled. It is extremely important that we do not ignore the dreams we crave, because eventually they may return as regrets. Instead, put your heart and soul into the things that motivate you. At the very least, you will be able to say that you gave it everything you had—with no regrets.

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FEELING NUMB

Life’s stresses not only have the overwhelming power to knock you down, but also to weaken your mentality so that you don’t even try to get back up. Whenever you feel that you are at your lowest point, where you struggle to find any reason to stand up, the pain that you feel lingers and tries to discourage you from finding any motivation to move forward. This pain dulls your senses so that you are left with only the feeling of a failed resolution, which is why you can feel so deflated when the stresses you face are too much for you to bear.In our desperation to feel that we are in control of our own fate, we sometimes intentionally plunge ourselves into being a victim, where we can attempt to control our sorrows before they control us. Whether we use a sad movie, a sad song, or any sad feelings that we can muster up, the intention is to put ourselves in a place that keeps us feeling sad so that not even another bad experience can alter our mood any further.Once our shield is up, the pain that we feel can be turned on and off whenever we feel it’s safe to do so. This tactic to defend ourselves focuses on the belief that once you’re in pain, the numbness you feel can protect you from anything else coming your way.Whatever your tactics, you need to always remember that you will have bad days, but you will also have good ones. So don’t give up on the good ones because of the bad ones.

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BOUND BY RULES

In life, we are bound by parameters — some of which we have put in place to ensure we are all on the same page, while others are defined by the natural order of things. The parameters we advocate for promote mutual respect, which can only exist when both parties give what they take. Trust, honesty, and respect form the foundation of any healthy partnership. Without a relationship built on a strong foundation, it is far more likely to crumble.Parameters show others that you practise what you preach. They reflect your belief in a structured society — one that doesn’t chop and change to suit one person’s needs over another’s. We should not expect to be respected by our peers if we don’t believe in mutual respect ourselves. This is why it is difficult to show respect to someone whose words are empty and meaningless. If you choose a dishonest path, don’t be surprised when those who once believed in you lose their trust and faith. Even the most generous heart has its limits. Don’t let selfish actions create the patterns that turn allies into enemies. And remember: once you’ve lost someone’s trust, it’s almost impossible to win it back — so choose your actions far more wisely

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TRUTH TELLER

Lostperspective.com

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SWEETEN THE TAKE, SAME IMPACT

Words have the power to offend those who would prefer a more tactful approach but by choosing to modify speech words also have the power to camouflage the impact that they have caused. So, no matter which words you choose to say the results will always end up in the same place where your left picking up the pieces from the inevitable impact. So, whether your intentions to sugarcoat the truth is to suit your narrative or you just believe that people are too weak to handle the truth then your avoidance of your responsibility to the truth will result in a society that is less than prepared for the tough times ahead. There are those who would rather live in ignorance but for those who base their foundations on truth and prefer their integrity to stay intact will stand by their beliefs even at the cost of their popularity diminishing are more than happy to converse with those who challenge their beliefs. Those of you who are willing for an open dialogue aren't swayed by an irrational emotion but purely by logical thought because the world runs on laws not your mood which is why eventually when the shit hits the fan is the moment that you will see them run to and rely on those you remain composed. So, speak your mind now or just agree with the mob when the moment arises the ones that struggle to have a civil conversation with anyone who disagrees with them, remember it's your choice because they won't give you one.

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NOT JUST OUR LIFE

Our life isn’t just ours alone, because we are all connected to one another like turning cogs in a vast machine. This is why, even when our actions are unintentional, the effect they have on others can change someone’s life for the worse—even those we haven’t directly interacted with. We may live a short life in the grand scheme of things, but our brief and precious time on this earth can have a lasting impact on someone else’s wellbeing. Choosing to keep to yourself doesn’t mean you will affect only a few; it means you’re missing the opportunity life gives you to make the world better. By holding back, you avoid your true purpose—to keep turning your cog with a positivity that spreads through the world, so that everyone may benefit when its inhabitants finally reach true prosperity. The one enduring truth that should bring you comfort is this: you will have triumphantly played your part in helping the world move closer to utopia, even if that future doesn’t unfold within your lifetime.

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PERSONALITY VERSUS NATIONALITY

Alot of people believe that it is our nationality that defines who we are,  I prefer to believe that it is our personality that better represents who we are. Our place of birth may be where our loyalties lie but there is alot more to us than just our birthplace. If we were to believe that our nationality is the better reflection of who we are than that would have to mean that one person born in a country would be a carbon copy of the person that is next to them. Growing up in a community can have the power to motivate how you do things but in the end it's up to you to decide whether you want to follow in those same footsteps. We are so much more than the place that we grew up in our personality is shaped by many factors' genetics, environment, and the experience we face. It is our personality which makes us unique to others because it is how we've handled the challenges that life has dealt us that has made us who we are presently. So be proud that no matter how hard the storm has hit you, you have not let it drag you down where you'd struggle to get back up and the person that you can thank for that is the person that you've grown up to be, so stand proud because you are unique.

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POWER WITH MORALITY

With the evolution of technology, we have managed to evolve our society to the next level, increasing our societies potential to reach further than it could have ever reached if the help of technology was never utilised. Without the modern marvels of technology in our lives, we would be stuck in past still trying to figure out how to solve the common problems of that day, but where there are technological advancements, we should not ignore what too much power in the wrong hands can do. Too much power would more than likely have a negative effect on society if we are yet to evolve our standards of ethics at equal measure. If we only evolve in power than we are likely to suffer in a lack of moral judgement? Where bad decisions are likely to be made before the ones that focus on the betterment of society. What we should be asking ourselves first before anything else is Has our own moral tendency matched our rapid growth in power?, because if the answer is no then we should probably question what will all that power that technology has brought us likely do in the hands of a power hungry control freak who has little to no ethics? Power without ethics is the quickest way to turmoil. So, we should remember not to be distracted by the power of technology with pointless blame and misguided frustrations but rather use the advancements that technology has brought us to our favour by educating people to advance their ethics standards so that they will help guide all of society to a better place that only accepting technology as progress can bring you.

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LOST PERSPECTIVE SONG

Lost Perspective (Remastered)

Listen and make your own on Suno.

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OKAY TO DISAGREE

In the past we grew up arguing about which is better Nintendo or Sega, Soccer or Football, Holden or Ford but no matter how our much our opinions may have varied from each other we still managed to get along without letting our personal preferences get in the way of our long-term friendship. What used to be considered just a minor disagreement between good friends has now been transformed into a rational reason to not associate with anyone who thinks differently to the way they think. Those who hold onto harsh expectations feel that a challenging mindset to their own is like a knife in the back resembling a betrayal, this betrayal of sorts is seen as a lack of support even though the ideas that are portrayed go against your own core beliefs. The dilemma that we face today is whether we chooose to support someone else's ideas even though they dont match our own and by doing this could we be proud of our blind support that we reluctantly give or should we be honest with our own mindset even at the cost of possibly losing our so called friend. I believe a healthy friendship requires growth that can only be truly achieved through challenging times not in a quivering mind that fears the thoughts that they have that don't match those friends of theirs who would prefer their undivided loyalty over true honesty. So be true or be dishonest the choice and the repercussions are yours to deal with in the end.

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SOCRATES KNOWS NOTHING

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PREY ON THE VULNERABLE

Those who choose to prey on the vulnerable only manage to highlight their own personal weaknesses .It takes being at your lowest mental state to not consider how your words may impact others. If your initial reaction to your uncomfortable stresses is to lash out at others by any means possible than maybe you should focus inwards rather than only outwards. When you ignore why it is that you feel that you have to prove your worth to others by putting people down in order just to show yourself up then you are denying the real problem. Your attempts to show others how clever you are by belittling the vulnerable doesn't highlight your dominance it highlights your ignorance because everyone in your social circle sees you for who you really are an immature person who has little to no control of your actions. So grow up and show yourself that you can do the right thing with or without an audience just because it is the right thing to do.

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SINCERITY FALLS SHORT

Sincerity is waisted on the undeserving, for those who desire only the lies that would support their personal insecurities without any challenges to their false persona dont care for true empathy they only care for reassurance. They would prefer to keep things on a superficial level where engagement is kept at a minimal because with the help of distance and no shared time the chances of building a true connection with anyone is less than likely and without a true connection how can anyone ever discover that all their claims are false. The first sign of discomfort comes when they feel the probing questions that may lead to someone finding the holes in their story which is why they will find out the hard way that their chosen attitude to their peers will only ever make it hard to build a true relationships with anyone with standards. So if you are more comfortable with the lies that sincerity can not bring you then dont complain when you are surrounded by people who you do not matter to because eventually people will only go by the rules that you have put in play. So play nice if you want to be treated nicely.