You can't care about everything. Power comes from choosing what truly matters — and letting the rest burn."You only have so many f**s to give, so give them wisely."*

Choose Your F***s Wisely

When you remember you’ll die, you stop wasting time on things that don’t matter. Mortality sharpens priorities.

Death Gives Life Meaning

Not everything is worth your time, energy, or belief. If you’re never rejecting anything, you stand for nothing.

Rejection is Necessary

Check your values. Are they real, or borrowed? Your suffering comes from what you’ve chosen to value.

Values Shape Everything

Life has no inherent meaning; our existence is insignificant in the grand scheme.Our minds create hope to cope with this discomfort, providing a sense of purpose.

The Uncomfortable Truth

Hope often stems from avoiding pain and seeking pleasure, which can lead to destructive behaviors.Relying on hope can prevent us from confronting reality and taking meaningful action.

Hope Is F*cked

We possess both rational (thinking) and emotional (feeling) brains.True self-control involves aligning these two aspects, acknowledging that emotions often drive decisions.

The Thinking and Feeling Brains

Entitlement kills growth. You’re not owed happiness — you earn it through pain, mistakes, and humility.

You Are Not Special

Happiness doesn’t come from avoiding problems, but from solving better ones. Growth = meaningful struggle.

Life is a Struggle — Pick a Better One

Inspired by Kant, treat yourself and others as ends in themselves, not merely as means to an end.Develop virtues like honesty, humility, and compassion to build a meaningful life.

The Formula of Humanity

Instead of seeking hope in external circumstances, cultivate inner virtues and embrace life’s inherent challenges to find true meaning and fulfillment.

💡 Key Takeaway

Boundaries are love. Saying no to the wrong things makes room for the right ones.

Say No More Often

Pain is an inevitable part of life and a source of growth and value.Avoiding pain leads to a lack of purpose; embracing it fosters resilience and meaning.

Pain Is the Universal Constant

In a world dominated by technology and endless choices, we risk creating new “religions” out of ideologies or systems.True freedom comes from self-imposed limitations and focusing on what truly matters.

The Final Religion

You’re wrong — and that’s okay. Personal growth is admitting you don’t know it all. Truth evolves."The desire for more positive experience is itself a negative experience."

Embrace Uncertainty

You may not be at fault, but you are responsible for your response. Taking ownership is liberation.

Responsibility is Freedom

Don’t avoid failure. Lean into it. Action creates clarity. Confidence comes after, not before.

Failure is the Way Forward

His style is really direct — kind of like a friend shaking your shoulders and saying, “Get real with yourself.” His work focuses a lot on accepting limitations, handling pain, finding meaning, and letting go of unrealistic expectations.

books

Books

Mark Manson (born 1984) is a professional blogger, entrepreneur, and former dating coach. Since 2007, he's been helping people with their emotional and relationship problems. He has worked with thousands of people from over 30 different countries. He regularly writes and updates his blog at: www.markmanson.net

The Thinking and Feeling Brains

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