Update: Jan 2018. The book “Fuck Them” mentioned below didn't happen and probably won't. The idea has morphed and become The Artist's Manifesto.

I love the peace of my own company, the space to imagine, let my mind wander and be creative. To do what I want, even if it's only in thought.

I'm a writer at heart, albeit maybe not a very good one but I do it because I love it. It's a means of expression.

I'd like to say I couldn't give a flying fuck what anyone else thinks of what I write about, but that's not entirely true. However, it is true here, because I've given myself the freedom and permission for it to be so.

There was a time when I was fearful of putting my views out there under my own name so I wrote under a pseudonym. Crazy now that I think of it, but that's what I needed to do before I became comfortable.

Here, I've given myself the freedom to write from the heart about things I care about regardless of what others think. It's really all about giving myself permission.

Doing Epic Shit

Doing Epic Shit is all about following your heart, completely, without boundaries. However that's not entirely easy for everyone, myself included, given the lure of crowd acceptance.

We all crave acceptance to some degree and I'm not too sure that it's possible to be totally free of that need. I believe the extent to which we can remove that need, is directly proportional to the success we experience.

Too many of us censor what's in our hearts, in order to save ourselves or others embarrassment or offence. We might tell ourselves it's about the other, but really it's about protecting ourselves.

I'm not suggesting that through doing epic shit we go out of our way to offend, but we should not let the possibility of offending stop us from doing what we love.

[Tweet “Doing #EpicShit is all about following your heart, completely, without boundaries #Freedom”]

I think we allow our concern for what others think about us, dictate our moves too often and this prevents us from experiencing the joy of being what we want to be.

Personally, I reckon I've had just about enough of making other people's opinions matter. You see when I do, I tend to create something other than what I first imagined, and this is ultimately unfulfilling and painful.

besides, the constant seeking of approval is exhausting. So what I am suggesting is that we should do what we are drawn to do, and say, regardless of outside opinion.

Lots of people are not going to like what you bring to the world because it doesn't fall into their idea of good, right, proper, acceptable – Fuck that! The good news is there are many who will like it.

It Matters, Yet Nothing Really Matters

You're going to get disapproval, that's a fact. Your only question around that will be “are you going to make that matter?”

Are you prepared to make those views and opinions matter so much that it keeps you from what you love most? Are you going to make it matter so much that you sacrifice the honesty of your work or art just to comply?

Take this book I'm writing for example. It's got a controversial title. It's got a big middle finger on the front. It's gonna ruffle a few feathers and I constantly question the rightness of it. But the draw to releasing it as it is, is greater than the idea of ridicule and non acceptance.

The truth is we're all going to be dead soon anyway, so why bother getting worked up about other people's opinions? You're not going to change them so better to try maintain your own centre in spite of them.

In the light of the realisation of your own mortality, there is no greater motivation to do what's in your heart than the fact that you will cease to exist someday very soon.

[Tweet “You'll be dead soon, so don't get worked up about other people's opinions #EpicShit”]

From a physical perspective, and on the level of the physical universe, what you do here and now doesn't matter one little bit. On the contrary, from a personal and spiritual development level it matters completely.

When we look up to the sky we feel so insignificant. We are minute, microscopic flitters of dust in an infinitely large space. Yet there is a need to develop and express an inner thing.

What is that about? What's the point?

Here lies the divine dichotomy of existence and the apparent contradiction of life. You see our lives are our own creation, and the only creation that matters is our own.

What others do is not our concern, only what we do ourselves. Our own experiences are all that matter. We cannot experience life for another no matter how hard we try.

We cannot make others have the same experiences as us no matter how many rules and regulations we put in place. Ultimately it is our life to live and if we sacrifice that right we end up living something other than what we came to live.

An Efficient Use Of Energy

When we make what others are thinking and doing more important than what we are, then we live outside ourselves in constant micro-management.

We expel enormous amounts of energy trying to appeal to the wants and desires of other people, and in attempted control of circumstances. This never works out and it can not be done.

One thing is for sure you're bound to piss some people off (please God) and that should be ok with you. You cannot fulfill what's in your heart and keep all others around you happy too.

Yes, there are plenty of people who will make demands on you and require you to act and behave in a certain manner, but sacrificing yourself to keep them happy will only leave an empty space within you.

Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way. –Alan Watts

We've got to be prepared to stick our necks out. Personally I don't mind sticking my neck out. I've made a habit of it as an adult and I've managed to cop a few hard slaps too as a result. But it doesn't matter.

I like to bite off bigger chunks than I would otherwise be fitted to handle and then figure out how to chew later. I like to make as many “mistakes” as possible because when I do I get to know the thing inside out.

Knowing it is more important to me than having an easy time. Mind you, having an easy time is high on my agenda, but it's not paramount. I'll take the pain in advance of the pleasure (and I think you should too).

If you live in fear of a painful experience then you'll never get to feel the full extent of your capabilities. You'll favor the safety of mediocrity and the status quo over the realisation of your dreams.

What a shitty and unfulfilling way to live.

The Art of Doing Epic Shit

So I decided to build this site. To just say it like it is as far as I see it. To demonstrate the importance of the art of Doing Epic Shit

To be controversial. Not for controversy's sake, but to offer a valid alternative to the current standard default model for life.

In doing so, I'll endeavour to be the most authentic version of myself I can. To be genuine, without front, no second guessing, no ulterior motivations, no editing, no censorship based on what I think others want to hear.

[Tweet “#Freedom; “The power to do what you want to do when you want to do it””]

Only my perspective on how I believe we can build a life that matters, that brings us gratification and satisfaction irrespective of the opinions of others.

For us to try live our lives from someone else's perspective, or try to superimpose our perspective on others is stupid, senseless, naive and idiotic, and just leads to grief.

I've been on both ends of that spectrum and I know that it doesn't work. Ever. So here, I've made it that there are no rules, other than to be as straight as a die.

The World Needs You To Do Epic Shit

I have one message that I want to get through to you with this content, and that is…

Do Epic Shit!

Do Hardcore!

Be completely obsessive compulsive about your thing.

Take no prisoners.

Burn the boats.

Be honest.

Be yourself.

Fuck everyone else (and I mean that in the nicest possible way). Practice disregarding the opinions of others as often as possible. It will be tough to do at first, but like all mental exercise there is ease that comes with practice.

Quit questioning yourself about your direction. Pick a road and go down it. The worst that can happen is that it doesn't go the way you planned and you'll need to turn around or start over.

But so what? You didn't die, yet. And even if you did, so what? You'd be dead and it won't matter anyway!

When our sense of self is built on the positive opinions of others, then just like JC said a few years back, we build our house on sand. When the flood comes the house falls down.

When the views and opinions of those who we've come to rely on for support, don't meet our need for approval we can feel lost and isolated.

[Tweet “Do epic shit, otherwise your life is lesser lived!”]

Building an identity based on what others think is ultimately destructive, because there may come a time when we don't get that support, and when it doesn't come we fail.

That failure can be temporary, but that all depends on you.

By all means seek support and positive affirmation from others, use it to your advantage, but don't become reliant on it. When you rely on the support of others for your success, when you make it vital, then your success becomes conditional.

We've got to get so centered within ourselves, independent of conditions, so that it doesn't matter what goes on around us, we know who we are, and we can continue despite the lack of outside support.

And hey don't worry…

Because although this can be a dark and lonely time, the universe will yield, it always does. And when it does the crowd will appear to show you exactly who you believed yourself to be all along.

Do Epic Shit as often as possible. In fact that's all you should do, every moment you can.

Otherwise our lives are lesser lived.

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