Life is better when you don’t give a flying fook…
…ignorant to what others think of you (to a degree), and even better, not concerning yourself thinking about what they think of you.
Most people act as though they’re being viewed. Maybe it’s a product of reality TV, this notion that eyes are on us so we should act cool or wear certain clothes. But you see it, and you’ve probably felt it. (Read This: No One’s Watching You)
I’ve caught myself doing the same thing, thinking that I’m somehow the center of anything, something, that eyes are on me and that if the right impression is to be made, if I want people to be wowed or if I want to command respect, I’d better act a certain way.
It’s nonsense. No one’s watching. There is no audience. Impressions aren’t being made and people really don’t care. Even if they did, you shouldn’t.
Not giving a shit is something I’ve worked on over the years because it’s a necessity if you want to live a life not as a response to the opinions of others, but completely on your own terms and as your own man.
So, how’s does a fella actually accomplish the art of not giving a fuck?
1. Mindfulness.
You have to be aware of your own thoughts and where they lead you. When you find yourself acting or thinking in response to your perception of the perceptions of others, you’ve got to be able to stop.
2. Ambition.
When you’re going after something great, nothing else really matters. (Read This: The Beauty of Ambition)
When you’re truly in pursuit, with your head down, grinding, even if that pursuit is adventure, living a grand, audacious life, it’s difficult to care about the opinions of the sheep and minions who gawk and judge those who dare mightily, never actually entering the arena themselves.
3. Solitude.
Solitude, true solitude, when you’re out there in the world or in your back 40 completely alone and exposed to your own thoughts is a beautiful thing.
It’s where clarity is found.
It’s where our purpose can be defined and our fears identified. It’s where we completely understand what our comfort zone is and what we have to do to break through it. (Read This: The Beauty of Solitude)
Please, stop caring about what others think.
Our culture is set up to depend on the opinions of others.
Our value comes from likes on a photo.
Our self-worth is found in the number of followers we have.
It’s all bullshit.
There’s no reason for it, no purpose behind it. It’s a rabbit hole that’s impossible to climb out of.
Find those 3 things, and live life like the man in the arena, undeterred by the blood and sweat and dust.
Get after it.
