Mark Manson's Blog, page 2

Hey there, you beautiful bastards. Today, we’re diving into the infinite complexities of the self.

We’ll be exploring the concept of self at five different levels, from simple explanations to brain-melting ideas that’ll leave you questioning your very existence.

Ready?

Let’s do this.

At this level, the concept of self is pretty straightforward. Whatever you feel or control in your environment is part of you.

You can control your hand? Boom, par...

Ever find yourself drowning in a sea of negativity, wondering how you can escape the relentless tidal wave of self-doubt and judgment?

Well, you’re not alone. We all suffer from negative thoughts, and it’s about time we learned how to deal with them effectively.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore three steps that can help you manage negative thinking, accept failure, and ultimately achieve more of your goals.

One of the most important t...

There’s this weird fantasy we all share of not giving a flying fuck about what people think.

We all wish we could be impervious to others’ opinions, like Superman deflecting bullets. But instead of bullets, we’re out here trying to deflect the fucks we wish we didn’t give.

We imagine a perfect mental state where our insecurities vanish and we conquer the world. But then reality sets in, and we realize it’s not so easy.

To tackle this issue, I’ll break down the short answer, the long answer, and ...

Today, we’re going to talk about a question I get asked all the time:

How do I become great at this one thing?

And you know what? I’ve broken it down into three easy repeatable steps that will help you become an expert in any field.

Let’s dive right in.

First things first, you need to figure out the 20% that drives 80% of the results. This is based on the 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle. It applies to nearly everything, from economic output to cu...

This isn’t going to be your typical pep talk about how the universe works in mysterious ways, or how everything will fall into place if you’re patient.

Spoiler alert: it won’t.

The cold hard truth is this: the universe doesn’t care about your happiness. You do.

Maybe you’ve searched for answers in meditation retreats or self-help books (even, like, really, really good ones). Or you went balls out and booked a trip to Peru to chug ayahuasca and talk to the gods over a long weekend.

But now you’re...

What if I told you there’s a hidden treasure trove of personal traits that could turn your life around?

Are you curious?

Are you dying to know what they are?

Are you wondering why I’m asking so many questions instead of getting to the point?

OK, OK—fine.

Here, I’ll uncover the five good qualities that I think will help you make it through this chaotic, unpredictable, and utterly hilarious thing we call life.

And hey, if you’re lucky, you might even come out of this with a chiseled chin and a ...

Ah, narcissists. Checking themselves out in every reflective surface they walk by. Yammering on about that one time they won the third-grade spelling bee. Thinking they’re God’s gift to the universe—after all, why else would He have put them right in the middle of it?

But here’s the thing: Narcissism is way more complex and, quite frankly, way more annoying than that.

Yes, it’s an inflated sense of self-importance and a hankering for constant admiration, combined with a devastating lack of empat...

I’m on an old man rant today.

The world’s a shitfest, and something needs to be said: Opinions are like assholes, everyone’s got one, and most are full of shit.

So, here’s my argument: people need to have fewer fucking opinions.

In the good old days, people had more humility and respected that not everything was perfect. Authority was based on credentials and expertise. You had to earn the right to be heard. But now, thanks to the internet, everybody’s an ...

Yes, yes—I know you think that one book you read that one time changed your life.

Hell, maybe that was even my book.

And don’t get me wrong, self-help books can help, but I think people mistake what they’re actually doing.

Let me break this down for you.

Let’s be brutally honest here: there’s really nothing new in self-help books. They’re just recycling ancient wisdom from religions, philosophies, and legendary thinkers.

The real game-changer?

Packaging.

After more than two decades of drinking, last summer, I decided to stop drinking alcohol for good. There were a lot of reasons for this, and obviously, there were benefits—I lost some weight, slept better at night, and no more ungodly hangovers.

But also some life changes happened that I was completely unprepared for. And once these hidden benefits kicked in, I knew that I was probably done with alcohol forever.

But first, before we can talk about the benefits of not drinking, there’s a far more...