Forget safety. Live where you fear to live. Destroy your reputation. Be notorious.
Rumi
You may have noticed something odd around here during the last month or so. For a blog about Fear Smashing, there hasn’t been much of that going on. At least, not that’s been reported. Actually, I’ve been a bit stuck on something for the last couple of weeks. A dilemma. And I’ve been wracking my brain for an answer.
I’ve always had this thing about perfectionism. I want everything to be flawless and exemplary. And it’s kind of a drag. So, here are the fears up for elimination this week:
- Being raw and unrehearsed
- Putting my foot in my mouth
- Alienating my audience (this will involve your participation)
See, there’s going to be some changes around here.
The original premiss of this blog is a chronicle of fear smashing: I do shit that scares me; and you guys get to watch (and hopefully be inspired to go out and conquer the world). Hence, the list.
Only, there’s a little problem. Doing Epic Shit doesn’t always happen over a weekend. It takes time. It takes preparation. There’s a reason it’s called EPIC after all; and as much as I might like to, I can’t actually jump out of a airplane (even a proverbial one) every day of the week.
So, I had to fill in the gaps a little. I had to get a little theoretical.
Now, I’m all for the odd bit of philosophical meandering; and based on the feedback I’ve received over the last several weeks—some of those posts made a very real impact on people. I love that. I love being able to make a difference in someone’s life. And I love all the positive feedback you guys were kind enough to share. That’s what makes this so hard to do.
See, this blog has been struggling with an acute case of multiple-personality disorder. In the red corner: hard-hitting, get-up-and-do-it documentary of fear smashing in action. In the blue corner: easy-going, flow-like-water philosophizing about how to be happy.
Which one is authentic?
Which one is the real me?
The answer is: they both are. They both play a part. They’re two different sides of the same coin. And they need to find a symbiosis. But you know what—this ain’t The Philosophy Hour, it’s The Art of Audacity. And art without practice is just an Epic Wank.
It would be easy for me to continue publishing articles like the last several on here. I have dozens of them in various stages of completion and I’m comfortable doing that now. But therein lies the rub. I’m comfortable. That’s no longer a challenge. And that just wont do.
So, I’m getting on my Wyatt Earp:
It all ends now.
From now on, expect to see more practice, less theory. More walk and less talk. And most importantly: more punching fear directly in the pie-hole. ‘Cause that’s what makes this blog different from every other get-busy-living feed in your reader.
Buckle up—things may get a little bumpy. (Or not—your choice).
Oh yeah, one more thing: I quit my job today 
P.S. Hope y’all like the new design.
P.P.S. I’m still a nice guy—email me.
Pingback: Tweets that mention No More Mr. Nice Guy | The Art of Audacity -- Topsy.com
Haha, Sounds like Lach is pissed and taking it out on the world. I like it
A man’s gotta be what a man’s gotta be.
Hell yeah!!! Strap me in!
So jealous about the job-quitting! If my finances weren’t such a disaster at the moment, I’d be right behind you. July 22, here I come.
I like the redesign, btw–very punchy.
Woot, Cara! Way to go! Warning: dates in the calendar are closer than they appear.
Ha, I love that sentence before the first P.S.!! Looking forward to the next episode!
Also, beautiful redesign!
Cheers Fabian. Thanks for the props.
Lach, you’ll be glad to know the new layout physically pushed me back in my seat…It’s the kind of thing that makes us graphic artists do a happy dance
Awesome impact!
There’s no doubt you can be a nice guy and a bad ass at the same time, and I’ll be all the more happy to be in your tribe because of it. The reason I’ve been here since your launch day is because I lacked courage and I needed help finding my way out of the dark. Now that the light’s on in my inner world, I’m feeling stirrings of wanting to find my unique place in the outer world, with total freedom and without letting ANY of my fears stop me.
I think your new direction rocks. I’ll always love the philosophical stuff, as I’m sure you’re aware by now
Really looking forward to seeing where this takes you, and continuing to explore my own Epic!
Yeah Laurie!—It’s awesome to see the changes you’re making at the moment. Big things coming up for you this year, do doubt! (look out, Big Bend). Glad I could be a part of your deciding to turn on the lights. Excited to see what you’ll accomplish next
I suspect there’ll still be a philosophical thread or two woven in from time to time; but always in the context of doing it.
I like you.
YEAH, BABBAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I learned from the best.
You go boy!
I love the attitude, and I love the font you use (odd, I know). As I always tell my readers, go forth and be fabulous! I would love to see you take on your fears. I have a similar list, and this is inspiring me to go forth and smash it.
Me like!
Amber J.
Thanks Amber! Challenge your fears. Do it. The best moments in life are in stepping over those lines of resistance. That feeling of “I’m afraid of doing this, but damn it, how could I not?” Life baby.
Hey man,
I love the look of the new site. Great pic of the lion and awesome colours.
Life is a journey we turn many different corners and it operates at many different paces. I would tend not to over analyze life just and make the most of what comes your way – no need for perfection – if you make the best choices you can at theat time.
bLAZE yOUR tRAIL
Thanks Ryan—good advice. My perfection thing was mostly about my work and about achieving excellence. Turns out though, that things go better when you relax and just be who you are. Funny that.
Hey Man, I often feel like this too— Like I should only write when there is an experience attached. and the truth is, I’m still stuck in this place.
I’m cool with it though, I have to be, because I haven’t figured a way around it.
new design is sweet, the lion is badass.
~Mike
Hey Mike! Great to see you again, Bud. Fortunately though, there is an opportunity for experience every day. Experience doesn’t only mean completion. It can also mean moving towards. Being inspired is an experience. Making mistakes is experience. Uh oh, looks like I’m giving myself more homework.
Let’s do lunch!
Very bold, I like it! You have a new RSS subscriber
Muchus gracios, Ayngelina—great to have you
As you already knew Mr. Lach, I’m quite down with the new header….that’s some sweet action bro.
Now that you’ve quit your job, I do hope that a post soon awaits ready to tell all of us what actually happened and where you’re going from here.
Proud of you man.
Marcus
Count on it.
See? Audaciously authentic. Nice job Buster. Nice job.
Cheers Lisa! and thanks for the words of wisdom. Set a date for Syria?
The new design is great. A great punch of color and kudos on quitting the job. Can’t wait to see where fear takes you next.
Thanks for chiming in, Travis. Great to meet you. Where fear takes me is usually some place I don’t want to go. What I’m looking forward to seeing is where inspiration will call me.
Love the new design and the attitude! And congrats on the job quitting!
Thanks Heather! Great to meet you. Excellent bucket list. Can’t wait to read about your adventures.
Awesome. Glad to see you fired up.
Cheers Jenny. Thanks for stopping by. So exciting about your TV gig.
Lach!
You audacious mastermind! No waste, no whither. The last several posts put you in position to conquer fear like George Clinton conqurered The Funk. In fact, I’ve been realizing that I’ve been steadily crushing a fear over the past year and a half. I spent my life believing I couldn’t ice skate because I failed a class as a young child and no one pushed me through it. The failure hung there. Then, my kids caught on to my love for hockey. With their desire to skate in my mind, I broke the fear bonds and have become a skater and a beginning hockey player. It wasn’t a one-timer. It has taken patient practice to build up the skill on the ice. But I can say that I have found a real ‘groove’ and absolutely love time spent at the rink, on the lake, wherever I can pull out the skates and get my ice-time.
Forward, brother!
Barry
You’re playing Ice Hockey now? Sweet. Way to go, Barry. Looks like you found a reason that was stronger than the fear. Imagine what you could do if you found a few more of those!
Congrats on quitting the job! The new site looks amazing, and can’t wait for more great content to come! woo hoo!
Thanks Kelly! Congrats on the launch of the Go Girl Guides. Are you still in Thailand?
You quit your job?!?!?!! Wow! I hope we get to hear more about that!
You should know that I really love your VOICE, no matter if you’re writing about fear-smashing or pursuing happiness. I write about traveling, not fear smashing necessarily, but what I’ve come to find out is that when I write about traveling what I’m really writing about is following my dreams, overcoming fear, and pursuing the thing that makes me feel most alive and happy. It’s all the same thing, really. We’re walking down different roads that lead to the same town, and I hope to meet you there!
Bring it! You are so right, Kim. There’s all kinds of vehicles and symbols and contexts that we might choose to play with, but at the end of the day, we all want the same thing: freedom and joy. To experience joy and be self expressed. How can it not come out? Everything comes back to that. Thanks for the props Kim—I really appreciate it.
Couldn’t have said it better myself, Kim! Perfectly worded! Go Lach
Thanks Tia! So appreciate your support. Can’t wait to pick your brain some more after you come out of hibernation.
Theory’s worthless without action. And action’s worthless without theory.
Lach, I agree with this and I’m excited for your new beginning as a FREE badass!
In truth I’ve always been free. But now it’s official
Thanks for the props, Cleveland!
Congrats on the job quitting. I too figured that the corporate rat race aint for me. I think we all have been in the same position as you are right now (too much talk-not enough action). now I gotta stop talking and start being the person I was meant to be!
No, you’re definitely not the corporate type, dude. I didn’t have a corporate job, actually. I’ve always worked with small organizations. So who is that guy, Bilal?
A baddass, adventurer and entrepreneur
Hey Lachlan,
I stumbled onto your blog through a series of tweets that mentioned something along the line of, “This guy kicks ass.” Maybe not in those words, but something like that.
I really like your concept around here and I can personally relate with this post.
When I first started my blog I started something called “Irrational Fridays.” The whole premise was that typical 9-5ers got to get really excited about Fridays yet people with untraditional schedules (which will surely be you since you gave the ol’ middle finger to the job) didn’t really have Friday to look forward to. So each Friday I set out to do something that was irrational, against the grain, something that scared me or scared others.
And at first it was unreal! Yet, like you say, it takes a lot to plan and execute these types of adventures.
It’s been a while since I’ve pulled off an Irrational Friday’s but after reading this post, I feel like I’ve been kicked in the Ass to go and do. Thanks.
PS: Did you even think that writing is doing? I’m sure some of the great novelists wouldn’t talk about their work as comfortable and unchallenging. Maybe there’s a way to do both: live audaciously and write audaciously – so audacious that it challenges the F*ck out of you, so that each article is in itself something that brings you fear.
Just a thought!
Keep being rad and living life to the fullest.
Cheers!
Hey Collin! Irrational Fridays—that’s an awesome idea. Beats the hell out of casual Fridays hands down—also another thing that doesn’t make much sense to online independents since we can work in our pajamas any day of the week, if it suits. Yeah—you’re totally right about the writing thing too. The writing itself is a challenge. A challenge to stay authentic and continue raising the bar. In fact, it’s an important catalyst for focus; so it will defiantly still play an important part. I need to find that balance and make sure the writing continues to challenge and doesn’t become complacent.
hi Lach – fantastic new design – the lion rocks. The earthy orange colour is gorgeous too.
So you’ve quit your job. That’s audacious! I quit my job as a lawyer in a top 10 city firm in London years ago, and it frees the mind to work for yourself.
That’s a good way of putting it Dom—frees the mind. I must say though—the heart was already there
I love the new blog design. And I’m very excited to know what’s coming now that you’ve quit your job!!
Thanks Torre!—you know what’s coming
Pingback: Everything in a Second » Blog Archive » All these bad motherfuckers are courageous (I want to be one, too!)
Lach –
Loving the new design and the fact that you quit your job. Great feeling, isn’t it?
As far as the blog goes, I think a lot of us struggle with that. The most important thing you can do is be yourself. Like a lot of us, you can’t write about being epic every day, if you could, I mean, I want your life, but in reality, its a little harder to do so.
Find your balance, kick some ass, and take us on your ride.
Kill it. Epic 2011 is about to get more EPIC.
Amen. Thanks for the support Justin. Turning the page is an awesome feeling.
Hell Yea Lach!!!
That’s what I’m talking about. Get fired up and make a rumble. I’ve been pretty busy lately myself and seeing some of the changes you’re making has me fired up. I love the new design too. Lets get the party started!!!
Alyx
Cheers Alyx. I appreciate the support dude. I see you’ve been making some changes over at Life’s Great Escape too. Great to see the evolution. Set a date for Rome?