I’ve noticed that when I unapologetically care about the things I’ve chosen - family, friends, art, travel, hobbies, teaching - I’m more able to genuinely not care about petty stuff. Feigning nonchalance isn’t cool but actually not caring about dumb things kinda is.
A nasty side-effect of caring is that it breeds accountability. If we someone caring about something, we have to make a real-time value judgement as to whether we care too or not, and justify it to ourselves and perhaps others. A hot bed of cognitive dissonance and social distortion if ever there was one.
Young athletes need to hear this especially. It’s okay to fail! It’s cool to care! The best athletes in the world have failed more than anyone else. The difference is, the great ones learn failure is a necessary part of growth and not to make the same mistake twice.
I’ve noticed that when I unapologetically care about the things I’ve chosen - family, friends, art, travel, hobbies, teaching - I’m more able to genuinely not care about petty stuff. Feigning nonchalance isn’t cool but actually not caring about dumb things kinda is.
A nasty side-effect of caring is that it breeds accountability. If we someone caring about something, we have to make a real-time value judgement as to whether we care too or not, and justify it to ourselves and perhaps others. A hot bed of cognitive dissonance and social distortion if ever there was one.
Young athletes need to hear this especially. It’s okay to fail! It’s cool to care! The best athletes in the world have failed more than anyone else. The difference is, the great ones learn failure is a necessary part of growth and not to make the same mistake twice.