“Zero *$@&s given,” says the insecure guy on social media when addressing his “haters” who, in all actuality, are self-absorbed and probably don’t care enough about him to hate him. He ironically and accidentally shows you through these efforts that he couldn’t possibly care more about what others think of him. His care cup runneth over. He is completely and utterly defined by what everyone else thinks of him, yet spends copious amounts of time trying to convince people who don’t care, and himself, that he doesn’t care whatsoever.
Shakespearean thinkers of 2022 would ask… “To care or not to care. That is the question.” The reality? Both of these postures are asinine, ridiculous, and insanely dangerous. Not caring AT ALL, like Jeff (we’re calling him Jeff now) pretends not to, is pure unadulterated, psychopathic, serial killer stuff. Caring what everyone thinks, like Jeff clearly does, is pure unadulterated, mentally unstable, overemotional, serial killer stuff… or hormonal 13 year old girl stuff. Either way, it’s super unhealthy for an adult human being. One is alone on an island of self loathing and wants to fight everyone and everything, regardless of the worthiness of the potential opponent. The other is alone on an island of self-loathing and insecurity and is paralyzed by fear; afraid to fight at all no matter how important the battle. Neither knows how, or more importantly WHY to fight… much like Brad Pitt’s very Brad Pitt-ish cousin in the movie Troy, who gets killed haphazardly leading troops into a battle he never should have been fighting in.
WHY we fight was something our ancestors understood. Our modern world,however, has bestowed upon us an ignorance that knows no bounds when it comes to the Jeffs of the world.
So what SHOULD we care about? WHY do we fight?
Just like Brad Pitt, a warrior chooses his battle and his opponents very wisely and NEVER fights an unworthy opponent. One of the nuanced skills of a true warrior who maximizes his capacity for impact in war, life, and even the world, is that he doesn’t just know what battles are worthy of his efforts. He also knows when NOT to fight. He knows there is ground to concede and there is a time to settle. He knows that conceding ground and settling is not compromising. Instead, it’s shifting focus and effort toward worthy opponents that must be beaten in order to achieve his most dominant form, because a warrior knows his purpose. This self-awareness and internal stability gives him laser focus. He fights with intention and that intention flows directly into every aspect of his life, meaning he knows why he does EVERYTHING he does.
Now that we've painted a picture of Jeff, Brad Pitt, Brad Pitt’s cousin, and sword-fighting, we must add some practicality to the conversation, because it’s likely you’re not fighting for survival as you peruse the interwebs in search of the latest Kardashian news. Don’t pretend you’re searching for something more noble. We've seen the Google analytics. You’re likely not fighting at all in the combat sense. But you’re damn sure fighting in some respect, unless you’re the passive version of Jeff, in which case you must start, stat.
Maybe for you, fighting means forcing yourself to combat the natural urge to be passive rather than aggressive in social situations because you lack assertiveness. Or it’s possible that you have the opposite problem. You could be a Karen of epic proportions who flies off the handle over dumb nonsense and you need to chill the hell out. Perhaps you’re an individual who folds in the face of adversity and you don’t feel ready to face certain inevitable challenges. It could be that some days it’s a fight to push your boundaries in your workout because you haven’t mentally prepared… or because it’s leg day.
No matter what the word “fight'' means in your life, it all boils down to taking on a challenge with a certain amount of preparedness and determination; to face that challenge head on and kick ass with the confidence that comes from knowing that you’re READY.
Proceed with the understanding that it’s very likely, especially if you’re a Jeff, that your chief opponent is the one you see in the mirror and that there is no greater obstacle to overcome than winning a battle with me, myself, and I. 3 on 1 is no joke.
So… what does “fight” look like for you? What kicks your ass? Email us and tell us.
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