Welcome to the realm of uncomfortable truths, where I, Mark Manson, will question everything you believe.
Take care, buttercup. Let’s dive down the rabbit hole of reality.
Fact #1: You’re Wrong About (Almost) Everything
One day, everything you believe today will be proven completely and utterly wrong or incomplete.
Do you remember your past? The one with shameful beliefs and useless ideas? Well, guess what, in the future you will look back on the present you with the same cringe-worthy disgust.
The lesson: The next time you’re sure of something, take a step back and ask yourself if it’s something you’ll be ashamed of in a decade.
If yes, maybe shut the fuck up.
3 Ideas That Can Change Your Life
Your information is protected and I never spam, ever. You can view my privacy policy here.
Fact #2: Most People Aren’t Bad, Just Stupid (You Included)
Social media has turned moralizing into a game, with people constantly judging each other as good or bad based on their ideas.
Enter Hanlon’s Razor:
Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity.
And now, Manson’s Addendum: pretty much everything you see or read is the some degree of stupidity.
The lesson: Put these two principles together, and you can see that we should reserve our moral judgments for only the most obvious situations.
Be slow to judge, people.
Fact #3: People Care (And Show It)
George Vaillant’s study of Harvard graduates over 70 years revealed that the only consistent factor that contributes to happiness and well-being is the quality of our relationships.
The secret? Learn to care about others and show them that you care.
The lesson: The highest leverage skill you can build in your life is to care about people and show it. Develop strong relationships based on trust, intimacy, vulnerability, and mutual respect.
Remember, all of this includes the fact that we’re all pretty stupid.
Manson, get out.
