There Is No Free Lunch in Life

Some lessons I learnt from That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.

Rimuru heads out of the Goblins’ village towards Dwargon (the dwarves’ country) in search of skilled men who would return with him and teach the goblins valuable building and forging skills to rebuild Tempest (the new village).

And this is pretty exciting because, like Rimuru, we have things we expect from others. We have our desires. So it is worth studying how he gets what he wants.

He gets into the city and offers help in the form of a healing potion, first to the city guards (he offered something). The only reason he knew their problem was because he listened.

Then again, when he appeared before Kaijin, the skilled artisan, he stated his request (asking), but he also listened to Kaijin’s needs (he needed specific minerals and was short on time, with a tight deadline), which Rimuru addressed in exchange for his service.

And right there is a lesson for me on how to get what I want from life.

• It is okay to want something. Desire is okay. It is perfectly okay. It is okay to be ambitious.

• There is no free lunch in life. Just because you have a desire does not mean you’ll get it for free. Never, ever expect anything free from life. When something is free, be very suspicious of it. You are most likely in a trap. Also, free things actually drain your agency. They make you dependent, and that is not good. You should work for what you want.

  Wallace D. Wattles says you must give an equivalent in use value to the other man so you can get the value that you seek. There is no such thing as something for nothing.

  Things that are given for free—check underneath. There is a transaction: a relationship, love, a favor done in the past, your data, a need for connection, or a need to be recognized.

• Ask. Be bold in asking. State your request politely, but do not beg.

• Listen. It is more effective because you get to know what you can offer in return in order to get what you want. Rimuru offered the precious stones and duplicated the swords, thereby solving Kaijin’s problem in return for his service.

  You have to listen. You have to stop trying to impress people and listen to them. People are thinking more about themselves than they are about you or anything else. Some people want and need recognition. Some people need attention.

• Evaluate to see if you can offer something in return. You have to know what you have. Sometimes, you have an answer to the problems people are facing. Think in depth. That’s your opportunity.

  You have to know your strengths and weaknesses, but mostly your strengths and your resources. Joseph in the Bible was quite good at this. He was amazing at these steps. He listened, then provided value.

• Do not underestimate your value. It is never about the price, but about the value to that person. So never underestimate what you offer to the world. Do not let your solutions seem so little in your eyes.

  Value is super relative, so do not be little in your own eyes. A rich, thirsty man in need of water is willing to pay millions for that water, so don’t underestimate what you have.

  It can solve a national crisis, as we learn from Joseph. He offered the same service (dream interpretation) to the prisoner and the king and got different rewards from each. Such is value.

  Do not downgrade what you bring to the table. This was what Rockefeller told his son about.

• State your terms. Do not give something for nothing. There is no free lunch in life. Offer your price and your solution, and do not feel shy about it. Demand it with respect. Let no one make you feel guilty.

  Rimuru told Kaijin straight up to offer some skilled men in return for providing the swords and minerals.

  And Kaijin accepted. A successful trade and a win-win on both sides.

And that is it. There is always something you have to offer: your time, your attention, your energy, your talents, your skills.

There is always something.

You have to know what you want, but still listen, think, offer, and negotiate.