On being cool

I’m so tired of people explaining what their tattoo means.
Don’t people just get skulls because they’re cool, anymore?
– A. Turk

We seem to have something backwards as a people. We create an ideal around something… and then we do it. We think that when we do something, or go somewhere, or get something, it is going to achieve some goal.

We do never-ending research to find the perfect way to execute, place to go, or piece to get. We figure out what everyone else had the best experience doing, seeing, or having. We use that “perfect” and “best” to create a reason why we should do it, too. No… no… no… the reason why we deserve to do, see, or have it!

Finally, we’re ready to pull the trigger. And we do. And WOW! It’s freakin’ amazing. It’s everything it was supposed to be. It’s everything we planned. It’s… just… like… we… thought it would be! We are fulfilled.

Sort of. I mean… you know… I thought it would last longer. I thought the weather would be nicer. I thought it would go faster. But, ummm… still… you know, it was cool.
Sound familiar? Kind of sucks, right? How about this?

Just do it because it’s cool.

Instead of having a reason or motive or deep philosophical agenda, do something just for the experience. Do something just for the story. Do something… just to say you did it. Because, that, my friends… is cool. ( ←Tweet this)

And let the lesson just come when it does. It will.

Do… it…

Let’s start doing things without a grand plan. Let’s stop setting an expectation of what it’s going to be like. Let’s stop making justifications in case someone asks us why we’re doing it. Let’s just do what we think is cool.

Go do those things that will tattoo your soul with an amazing story. (←Tweet this)

Now, you are that story.

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7 Comments

Mirella on February 5, 2013 at 10:17 am

Like buying a pair of red shoes!

Stewart on February 5, 2013 at 3:36 pm

Precisely. Not ’cause they match the outfit… because they’re just cool.

Sarah on February 6, 2013 at 9:58 am

Do things without a plan?! I could never…

Oh wait…

Sarah on February 6, 2013 at 10:01 am

Martha Beck was saying on her call yesterday that it’s time to learn to roll without the plan, and that even people who used to find themselves being big have-a-plan-types are learning to ride their intuition and go with the flow and all that because it’s becoming more necessary. And when you do, the universe offers up amazingly cool opportunities and experiences. I can vouch for that. I think my new goal is to live an unplanned life. (Actually, I think that has been my goal for over a year… I have a feeling it will take many more to achieve, especially since I can’t plan it.)

(Had to leave a real somewhat-thoughtful comment in addition to snarky inside jokes)

Stewart on February 13, 2013 at 12:14 am

Sarah,

Absolutely! I’m a huge fan of honing intuition. It’s much better than a plan. Though, I don’t suggest standing in front of a train and hoping the universe will figure it out, a healthy does of “it just feels right” is good for everyone.

Un-plan away. It looks good on you.

-Stu

Sue on May 13, 2013 at 4:17 pm

I`ve been planning, researching, etc. for so long that 20 years went by! The plans stayed `just plans` and now life threw a curve ball, to wake me up I guess. I didn`t plan for my husband to leave me, I planned a life with him but so caught up in the planning that I didn`t `do` anything. Waited for it to just drop in my lap, sometimes that does happen but more often than not, NO!
Just `being` doesn`t fulfill you completely (got a head full of knowledge and haven`t done a thing with it but think and plan!). You have to `do` and `be`. Got that from the Quantum Activist. Do, be, do, be, do! 🙂
Really needed this extra `push`, thank you
Don`t need to ask permission or wait for `the right time` or worry about how it will look to others (planning so I can justify my reasoning) anymore. I`m gonna go be COOL! A little bit of planning does help though(old habits die hard!), making sure the car has gas before you go for that long drive just for the hell of it, works better….. but then again, if you run out of gas it can make for a interesting story! 🙂
Being afraid hasn`t gotten me anywhere but sitting here alone now, wondering what the hell I`m going to do by myself!
Thanks man, I really needed this!!!!
Cheers!

Stu on May 14, 2013 at 7:30 pm

Do be do be do! I love it! Honestly, if this post makes you go out and do even one thing just because you want to… no excuses, no reasons, just to try it… then my job is successful. Twenty years is a long time to wait for perfection. Maybe COOL will look better on you anyway!

Thank for the comment. Much love,

-Stu

Mirella on February 5, 2013 at 10:17 am

Like buying a pair of red shoes!
Stewart on February 5, 2013 at 3:36 pm

Precisely. Not ’cause they match the outfit… because they’re just cool.
Sarah on February 6, 2013 at 9:58 am

Do things without a plan?! I could never…

Oh wait…
Sarah on February 6, 2013 at 10:01 am

Martha Beck was saying on her call yesterday that it’s time to learn to roll without the plan, and that even people who used to find themselves being big have-a-plan-types are learning to ride their intuition and go with the flow and all that because it’s becoming more necessary. And when you do, the universe offers up amazingly cool opportunities and experiences. I can vouch for that. I think my new goal is to live an unplanned life. (Actually, I think that has been my goal for over a year… I have a feeling it will take many more to achieve, especially since I can’t plan it.)

(Had to leave a real somewhat-thoughtful comment in addition to snarky inside jokes)
Stewart on February 13, 2013 at 12:14 am

Sarah,

Absolutely! I’m a huge fan of honing intuition. It’s much better than a plan. Though, I don’t suggest standing in front of a train and hoping the universe will figure it out, a healthy does of “it just feels right” is good for everyone.

Un-plan away. It looks good on you.

-Stu
Sue on May 13, 2013 at 4:17 pm

I`ve been planning, researching, etc. for so long that 20 years went by! The plans stayed `just plans` and now life threw a curve ball, to wake me up I guess. I didn`t plan for my husband to leave me, I planned a life with him but so caught up in the planning that I didn`t `do` anything. Waited for it to just drop in my lap, sometimes that does happen but more often than not, NO!
Just `being` doesn`t fulfill you completely (got a head full of knowledge and haven`t done a thing with it but think and plan!). You have to `do` and `be`. Got that from the Quantum Activist. Do, be, do, be, do! 🙂
Really needed this extra `push`, thank you
Don`t need to ask permission or wait for `the right time` or worry about how it will look to others (planning so I can justify my reasoning) anymore. I`m gonna go be COOL! A little bit of planning does help though(old habits die hard!), making sure the car has gas before you go for that long drive just for the hell of it, works better….. but then again, if you run out of gas it can make for a interesting story! 🙂
Being afraid hasn`t gotten me anywhere but sitting here alone now, wondering what the hell I`m going to do by myself!
Thanks man, I really needed this!!!!
Cheers!
- Stu on May 14, 2013 at 7:30 pm
  
  Do be do be do! I love it! Honestly, if this post makes you go out and do even one thing just because you want to… no excuses, no reasons, just to try it… then my job is successful. Twenty years is a long time to wait for perfection. Maybe COOL will look better on you anyway!
  
  Thank for the comment. Much love,
  
  -Stu