on being awesome

My main character goal in life is to be awesome.

But what does it mean to be awesome? What’s it like?

Here’s a good example:

When Diogenes Meets Alexander the Great Diogenes “the dog”, the famous cynic philosopher, was lounging in the sun. He owned practically nothing—just a worn cloak, a walking stick, and until recently, a wooden bowl that he had tossed away after watching a child drink water with cupped hands. "Why carry what nature already provides?” Alexander the Great—fresh from conquering half the known world—had heard stories about this strange philosopher who lived in a barrel and rejected social norms. Intrigued, Alexander sought him out. People gathered as Alexander and his entourage approached Diogenes. He stood over him, casting a shadow on the barrel in which the philosopher reclined. Alexander, admiring the philosopher's detachment from worldly desires, made him an offer: "I am Alexander the Great," he announced. "Ask of me anything you wish, and it shall be yours. Is there anything in the world you want to have?" To which Diogenes simply replied: "Yes. Don’t block my sunlight." The crowd was stunned. Alexander's generals were offended at this disrespect. He didn’t even bother to stand up to greet the great conqueror. But Alexander himself was struck by the philosopher's complete indifference to power, wealth, and status—everything Alexander had spent his life pursuing. Later, Alexander told his followers: "If I were not Alexander, I would wish to be Diogenes." To which Diogenes was said to have replied: "And if I were not Diogenes, I would also wish to be Diogenes."

This is my ideal. I want to be able to say fuck you to anyone, even if he’s the most powerful man in the world.

What I want...

is to want and need NOTHING so no one can ever take away anything from me or dangle a bait of “reward” in front of me.

But this is hard to do. It takes a lot of courage and willingness to endure mortal and social suffering for the sake of manifesting this ideal self.

I heard this quote from a podcast once (I forgot which podcast). The host said:

“You can do anything you want in life. Anything! You just have to be willing to face the consequences.”

Often I find myself taking the easy way… enduring difficult clients because I want the money, or going along with some people because I don’t want to go through the trouble of being disliked.

It’s easy to act cool and project an attitude when you’re well off and belong to the upper half of the socio-economic hierarchy where everyone is trying to please you instead of being the pleaser. That’s why rich brats roam the planet. They’re everywhere!

But try being a cool brat when, like Diogenes, you have nothing but your Self.