My Philosophy

Posted by Liam Niehus-Staab on April 09, 2022 · 3 mins read

The song Psychotic by J @ddi son (great artist btw, check him out) has some lyrics in the refrain that really resonate with me and closely resembles a philosophy I hold about life.

I think I give too many fucks, so now, how ‘bout I won’t give any fucks

My philosophy is about giving a medium amount of fucks; keeping the balance between giving too many and zero fucks. It’s important to remember the old adage, “everything in moderation,” as there are dangers in the extremes. Giving too many fucks can lead to a life of constant anxiety and chasing perfection, and giving zero fucks can lead to nihilism and a lack of will-power.

Of course, knowing the “correct” amount of fucks to give, and when to give them, is a skill that you have to develop over time (I’m not a master of this yet by any means either). But really, the crux of this philosophy is about doing what you can and want, and not stressing over things you can’t affect. However, I am aware that that is easier said than done.

Take, for example, a job interview. You definitely want to give some fucks, otherwise why are you even applying in the first place, but spending multiple hours every day over the course of weeks, or worrying about the results afterward, are likely doing you more harm than good. It’s situations like these, where you convince yourself that a certain event or outcome will be life-changing, that are most challenging (but also most important) to apply this philosophy to. But the truth is, life will go on no matter what happens, and stressing yourself by giving too many fucks (or conversely, not taking critical action by giving zero fucks) is only going to negatively impact your performance in whatever critical moment you are approaching. Do your best to reach the outcome you desire and let that be enough. There will almost certainly be more opportunities in the future, similar or completely different, which you can more effectively put your energies toward. The past is in the past, so we may as well just learn what we can from it and move on.

Have fun, and enjoy the now in life without sacrificing the later.

I acknowledge that this might not work for everyone, but it works for me, and helps me live a life with less stress. Hakuna matata.