In the modern era, we’re incredibly calculated. Everything is measured, timed and optimised.
We get up, brush our teeth until the toothbrush says stop, eat a nutritionally calculated breakfast, have the same coffee every day, go to the gym and lift a perfectly balanced bar in perfectly clean clothes, and crack the shits when our gym shoes have a dirt smudge.
We drive around using our maps for the most optimised route, and we find the cheapest possible fuel, which makes sense, because no one wants to give the oil tyrants more than we have to.
We stick to the path well-travelled. Education. Safe job. Decent pay. Get the mortgage. etc.
We want our life to be smooth, frictionless, and efficient.
Routine and plans are great. I’ve even written about the beautiful grind.
We’re missing a bit of friction. A bit of dirt on our shoes. The pulp in our orange juice.
Often, we overoptimise and underlive.
We regularly feel numb, restless, anxious and under-stimulated.
What we’re missing is something I’m a huge proponent of: the ‘fuck it’ zone.
The ‘Fuck it’ zone shakes us awake. It’s the moment when you’re on the precipice of doing something epic, that moment when you’re being too damn rational, when you need to say ‘fuck it’ and metaphorically jump. Or literally. Whatever floats your boat. When you have the trip in your cart, or the car packed, or your shoes on, and you just need that slight push.
F*ck it. Let’s do something slightly stupid.
Not ‘locked-up’ stupid.
Not ‘wind-up-in-a-neckbrace’ stupid (mostly).
Just a bit dumb. Not the norm. Something that leaves your mouth a bit dry.
Slightly stupid means doing the thing. The thing you want to do, but you’re just too damn rational. Too sensible. Too calculated.
The goal is to occasionally say yes to the things that will make a great story in twenty years.
- Start a business selling genital-shaped candles on Etsy
- Book the ticket to the place
- Join the Zumba class
- Take a shitty Chinese motorbike around Mongolia
- Go bikepacking in Kyrgyzstan
- Talk to the hotty at the gym
Shoot your damn shot.
Slight stupidity isn’t to be destructive, but to live deeply. Live the experiences you’re craving.
I don’t know about you, but a lot of the best times in my life have started with something similar to ‘this is probably a bad idea’. I then hit ‘go’ and have memories that will last a lifetime.
Why do we avoid the friction?
We’re scared. Scared of the results. Scared of the judgment from our parents. Scared of the risk.
We’re overlooking the upside of saying fuck it. The upside of a life full of memories.
Even more seriously, we’re overlooking the downside of not saying fuck it.
A life full of the things that we could have done. A life full of regret.
You’ll never regret the things you do, just the things you don’t.
—
Previously Published on substack
iStock image
YOU HAVE PUT IN YOUR THOUGHTS INCREDIBLY! HEARTIEST CONGRATS FOR THIS WONDERFUL ARTICLE.