- Don’t stay positive all the time. Stay realistic
- It's ok to give and start something new
- Problems will persist. Stay focused.
I like reading books. But, one book I started reading not
because of my usual reading habit but because of the first impression this book
gave me. Slang words and double-meaning words usually catch our attention. I
started reading because I saw the “F” word in the title.
“The subtle art of not giving a F!UK” I saw a lot of people
holding the book and the title raised my eyebrows. I was expecting some
double-meaning content or bold stuff. However, I understood the whole concept
after I completed this book.
What’s so different about this book?
I came to know that this piece of writing is actually a
motivational thing and everyone should read this. Writer Mark Manson has not
followed the regular, formal, and positive approach. He says about the book “A
counterintuitive approach to living a good life”. He rather followed a
realistic format to make the readers understand the concept of a good life.
“In life, we have a limited amount of f!ucks to give. So,
you must choose your fucks wisely.” One of the informative life lessons I read.
A teacher teaches a topic to students in a formal way. We
take time to understand. However, when our best friend teaches the same topic
in his informal and frank tone, we understand the topic in better way. The same
thing is seen in this book.
What great life lessons can you learn?
The subtle art of not giving a f!uk actually encourages you
to face the realities and practical sides of life. Most motivational books and
speakers encourage you to be “positive” in every aspect of life. Whatever
issues you are facing, just be positive.
However, I was astonished to understand the concept here.
Mark Mansion says that problems are a part of life. They cannot be fully
eliminated and we cannot solve every problem together. What we can do is arrange
the problems and think about which problem we can solve first. We need to think
about when to focus on what problem so we can lessen our bundle of issues.
We often hear. “Don’t give up, keep trying! You can do it!”
Mark Manson explains sometimes it is ok to give up and focus on something else
to have a good life. “Don’t try, give up!” In this case, you can better
understand what you are actually capable of so you can perform better in your
life stages.
Apart from that, this book too says it is always not good to
be positive. You are humans and you counter various emotions in your life.
Becoming positive too much leads to more negativity. Instead, you can be
neutral so you can solve issues in a better way. Your sister is not meeting
you, it's OK. Give her some alone time. Things will get better. If your partner
is not that loving, don’t push yourself too much, take some time and it will
pass. Focus on some other issues at that time.
Sometimes, we say that we will do it, today or tomorrow.
But, Mark Manson encourages us to stop saying and actually start doing
something. In this way, we can work in a better way. Work hard instead of
making noise.
After finishing the book, I realized I was giving importance
to several minor things in my life. I realized I should focus more on myself,
my skills, and my career. I realized that self-help is only beneficial for me.
I was trying to remain positive and I was rather ruining my life.
“Not everybody can be extraordinary-there are winners and
losers in society and some of it is not fair or your fault,” Manson advises to
realize your boundaries and adopt acceptance in life. Above all, “Subtle Art of
Not Giving A F!uk” is a must-read.
Mark Manson has given some amazing life lessons in other books too. Some of his writings include Everything is Fucked and Models.
