Stop Being Mean
Giving the winning team the only trophy is not mean.
Giving the 7th place kid a trophy most certainly is.
Capitalism is not mean.
Socialism is.
Realism is not mean.
Lala land is.
__________
Giving people shit they didn’t earn is terrible for them.
It makes them captive.
Letting people feel good about shit they shouldn’t feel good about is a bad idea.
It makes them confused.
Allowing people to live a soft life without effort is wrong.
It makes them entitled.
__________
Lack of adversity is deteriorating our society.
That’s fucking mean.
It’s like trying to let a captive lion back into the wild just to get eaten.
We need more reality in our lives.
(Not the TV kind)
We need more people to be honest with us about what it takes.
We need real definitions of happy and successful.
We need more people to step out and make a real impact.
At the risk of being “mean”.
__________
The reason football practice was hard was to make sure you were ready for the game….so you didn’t get your head beat in.
You coach wasn’t worried about being mean to you when he had you running sprints and drills.
The reason your teacher made you stay after school was to make sure you could figure out your algebra homework….so you could learn how to think.
She wasn’t being mean when she had you doing extra problems and putting in the time and effort you needed.
They were helping you prepare to succeed.
Believe me, anyone who played for Mr. Johnson was scared shitless half the time and I thought Mrs. Clemons was the meanest lady on planet earth. But I'm better for the lessons I took from the experiences.
__________
So why do we assume that when we turn 18 or 20 or 25 years old and step into ‘real life’ that the game changes?
We don't grow out of the need to grow through adversity.
Why do we lose the ability to learn and push ourselves forward?
Why do we lose the ability to be challenged?
Why can’t we accept that life is not supposed to be comfortable?
__________
We’ve lost the ability to provide and receive honest feedback and it’s created the soft mentality that permeates our culture.
Tough love.
Honest assessment.
Character building.
EQUALS
Perseverance.
Grit.
Determination.
Get it?
We live in a soft, coddled, outrage culture and we wonder why we have soft citizens who can’t handle a conversation with someone that carries an opposing viewpoint and they want everything handed to them.
It’s going to get worse.
Unless WE make it better.
__________
If you’re reading my stuff then there is a good chance you aren’t soft.
But you might be.
If you’re mad about it then you have some soul searching to do.
Sorry if that’s mean.
Even if YOU are not the soft one you are still part of the problem.
If you let those around you off the hook and you don’t challenge the narratives you are implicit in the downfall of the mindset that your friends and family need to succeed through life.
Think about it.
Growth through pain.
On purpose.
Go.
Focus & Fortitude.
-Linc