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The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck summary
A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
22 mins
Brief summary
'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck' by Mark Manson is a self-help book that advocates for accepting and embracing negative experiences, focusing on what truly matters, and taking responsibility for our lives.
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The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
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Key idea 1 of 8
Whatever you do in life will be a struggle, so you need to find the struggle that’s right for you.
What do you really want out of life? In other words, what’s your ultimate goal – the achievement you want written on your headstone?
It’s not such an easy question to answer, is it? Sure, many of us will claim that we want happiness, a loving family and a job we enjoy, but these are pretty vague ambitions. And vague ambitions are problematic because they won’t push you to strive for success.
Unfortunately, if you want to get anywhere in life, you’ll have to struggle. Achieving your goals will require hard work and plenty of perseverance; it’s guaranteed that there will be setbacks and hardships on the way.
If you don’t have a goal you’re determined to achieve, you’ll falter in the face of this adversity. Let’s say becoming a CEO is your goal. After all, being a CEO certainly sounds cool: just think of all that power and responsibility. And yet, being a CEO is far from a walk in the park.
CEOs regularly put in 60-hour workweeks, they have to make tough decisions and they need to be ready to fire people, time and time again. If you aren’t hell-bent on becoming a CEO, you’ll struggle with the hard work, and your chances of being a success will be slim.
Since struggle is unavoidable, you have to find something worth struggling for. You have to identify what you really enjoy doing. Working on something that makes you happy means you’ll not only be undeterred by the constant battle; you’ll grow to love it.
Take the author. He realized that he really enjoyed writing about dating, and so he decided to focus on writing a dating-advice blog. It was a challenge at first, but because he loved what he did, he thrived on the adversity. Eventually, the struggle paid off; the blog garnered hundreds of thousands of subscribers and it paid more than enough for the author to make it his full-time job.
There is no point looking for an easy life, one without adversity. The only way you’ll get ahead is to find a goal that you want to struggle for. However, it’s equally important to say no to all the struggles and tasks that don’t bring you joy. Be ruthless and stop chasing the things in life that don’t make you happy. Concentrate on the few great things – and don’t give a fuck about everything else.
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What is The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck about?
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck (2016) lays out how to live a better life by caring about fewer things. If you follow few simple rules, you can enjoy a happier, less stressful existence.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck Review
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck (2016) is a thought-provoking book by Mark Manson that challenges conventional wisdom about finding happiness and success. Here's why we think this book is worth reading:
- Unapologetically honest: The book encourages readers to embrace the uncomfortable truths in life instead of chasing superficial happiness.
- Practical approach: It offers practical advice on how to prioritize what truly matters and let go of things that don't, helping readers lead more fulfilling lives.
- Engaging storytelling: Through personal experiences and relatable anecdotes, the book captivates readers, making its profound concepts easily digestible.
Best quote from The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
What pain do you want to sustain? The path to happiness is a path full of shitheaps and shame. You have to choose something. You cant have a pain-free life
—Mark Manson
Who should read The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck?
- Anyone feeling stressed or overburdened with life
- Self-improvement junkies
- People worried about their legacy
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The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck FAQs
What is the main message of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck?
The main message of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is to embrace life's struggles and focus on what truly matters.
How long does it take to read The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck?
The reading time for The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck varies, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is a thought-provoking read that offers a fresh perspective on finding happiness. It's definitely worth reading!
Who is the author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck?
The author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is Mark Manson.
What to read after The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
- The 3-Minute Rule by Brant Pinvidic
- 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do by Amy Morin
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma
- The First Minute by Chris Fenning
- The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
- How to Talk to Anyone by Leil Lowndes
- Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman