Episode 39 - Review and Summary of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

In our lives, we always find ourselves thinking of what others are saying or thinking about us. This not only bothers us but often keep us from things that actually matter in our lives and in our journey to success. Those of us who are constantly trying to please the world around us, and cater to its needs and want, and end up disappointed and frustrated.

But what we need to realize is life is full of failures, trivial stuff, and even rejections. The more we learn to accept these uncomfortable realities, the less we’ll feel burdened over time. That is, of course, easier said than done.

The Title of this book definitely reflects its personality. Let me warn you, there will definitely be profanity in this review as the title makes it, inevitable.

The book is unapologetically profane but certainly, works to drive the point and idea of the book across to us. Mark Manson is an author and prolific blogger on personal development focused, on things that don’t suck as he calls is.

It’s pleasure to read as Mark takes us, his readers to a different kind of journey explaining why we shouldn’t care too much what others think. He introduces us, to the ideas of positive psychology and other notable philosophies to create a powerful and practical guide in determining what exactly is worth giving a Fu*ck about and what isn't.

Let’s dive into the nuggets of wisdom taken from the book.

A Final Excerpt from this book I want to read you is this

“Everything worthwhile in life is won through surmounting the associated negative experience. Any attempt to escape the negative, to avoid it or quash it or silence it, only backfires. The avoidance of suffering is a form of suffering. The avoidance of struggle is a struggle. The denial of failure is a failure. Hiding what is shameful is itself a form of shame.

Pain is an inextricable thread in the fabric of life, and to tear it out is not only impossible but destructive: attempting to tear it out unravels everything else with it. To try to avoid pain is to give too many fucks about pain. In contrast, if you’re able to not give a fuck about the pain, you become unstoppable."

Allow me to leave you with this.

Let's not just admire Mark and others about their ability to not “Give a Fuck” and not care about what other people think. This does not mean not caring, but about having the honesty and integrity in times of challenges in life. We need something bigger to care about than the obstacles and adversity we face. When we realize and accept that other’s don't care what we do as much as we think, we can empower ourselves to be free of these judgments and not give a Fuck.